Yu-Gi-Oh GX: Spirit Caller
by Colossal Fighter GX
Summary: "Wield the components that gives life." That's the only trump card uninspiring average joe Jason Hutchins has as he's caught in a battle between good and evil. Based in the DS game by the same title.
1. A title that needs no introductions

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

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><p>(AN: Hello, this is one of the few fanfics I wanted out of the way due to writer's block with Reverse of Arcadia and this just popped into my head. You may have seen this kind of story many times on this site but I figured I'd do it anyway. The main character I use here is very familiar so you know the pattern in the deck he'll use, although he uses the same archetype as one of the other characters in the anime. But still I plan to make that deck to use his own way, so don't judge me too much. Try reading this through and tell me what you think. If you'd like to help me with this story, or if you'd like to off any OC characters, please review of PM me...)

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><p>There he was floating around in the dark. It took him a while and he was exhausted but he finally managed to go in. This was where he unwound his mind and muscles for the next day. And every now and then it was where he let his mind run loose, he felt he didn't want to leave. Suddenly a siren exploded from out of nowhere. His world was rumbling and torn asunder until everything went silent.<p>

The siren still went off hurting his ears. His first act was swinging his arm and knocked the machine on the floor. A bright light began stinging his eyes from between the blinds, forcing his eyes shut. But he knew he had to wake up rather soon so he sat up on his bed. After sitting there trying to collect his thoughts he reminded himself that he had somewhere to go.

After stumbling out of bed he went to the restroom to take a quick shower. He got out a few minutes later and walked to the bathroom mirror. He wiped the steam off and was met with a boy of about 15 with his black hair unkempt and falling in front of his blue eyes. Then putting on some clothes he brought with him to the bathroom, he was now wearing a white t-shirt under an open short-sleeve jean jacket, a pair of baggy blue jeans and black, red-rimmed sneakers. Going back to the mirror, he grabbed a comb and some hair gel and fixed his hair. As much as he hates having to use this sticky stuff, he knew it was better to be presentable. With his hair now done, he now sported a large cowlick bang grown over his forehead and around the front of his right side, with a grey highlighted mark in the middle.

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><p>Not wanting to wake his uncle he left the house and went on his way to the bus station. He had a fair amount of trouble trying to get to the station, no matter how close by it was. He had only moved to town yesterday so he had little idea of how to get where he was. After a few wrong turns he managed to reach the station just in time to buy the next ticket and get on the bus that he almost missed. After twenty minutes of riding the bus suddenly stopped, a major traffic of cars blocking the way. He thought of waiting it out, but according to the time it would be very unlikely that the bus will make it to his destination in time. So he decided to get off and started running. It was only a block up the sidewalk and he was lucky enough to enter the pedestrian area where the only traffic he had to worry about was people. He ran past small crowds trying not to bump into anyone...<p>

"Look out!" he didn't have time to look before he bumped into something and fell on his side. He stood up and shook off the pain."Hey, need a hand?" he looked up and saw a hand belonging to a boy his age. He had brown hair dyed in two tones, the top half lighter than the bottom, and chocolate-brown eyes; he wore a dark-grey jacket with a red shirt underneath. He took his hand and let him pull him up. "Sorry about that. You alright."

"...I think so. Yeah." he said in a small tone.

"Hey, you're going to the Duel Academy entrance exams, aren't you?"

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

"You dropped your cards." the boy looked to the ground and found his cards scattered all over the place; he scrambled to pick them up, "Here, let me help!" the brown-haired boy helped him pick up the cards, looking at each one he picked up, "I never seen any of these before. Where'd you get 'em?"

"I got these cards from a flea market back home." the boy said as he took his cards back. "Wait, are you going to the exams too?"

That's right! Oh, I forgot to introduce myself! My name's Jaden."

"My name's Jason." the two greeted with a handshake. "I'm just wondering, are you sure you're ready for this kind of school? The tuition wasn't so cheap for them to let just anyone in. I just hope I can just pass."

"Well, why not? We got our decks, we got the gear, and we only got- Oh wait a minute..." Jaden checked his watch and then panicked. "2 minutes! I better get going!" he started sprinting off, with Jason following. Their shoes pounded the pavement as they ran past a crowd of gawking people.

As they passed by the park, Jason spotted someone walking in their path. "Uh, Jaden-"

But man could only turned to see and feel a mass of brown hair run into his chest and fall to the ground. The brunette automatically turned to pick up his duel disk and the cards that had fallen out of the deck slot.

"Ugh! Sorry!" Jaden apologized, but his first concern clearly seemed to be for his cards. He quickly gather up his own cards, picking one up and brushed off the dirt, blowing on it gently.

"You kids are duelist, aren't you?" the stranger asked, apparently he hasn't left.

"Yup. We're on our way to try out at the Academy." Jaden answered.

The stranger smiles, and reaches for a small on his hip, popping it open. "You don't say."

"Yeah!" Jaden stood, ready to laugh the whole thing off before he saw the face of the person he just ran into: this individual wore a black shirt and a fashion collar. His hairstyle was black tinged with red, and a few blonde bangs hovered around his face. "Hey... Hey, you're-"

The stranger offered him a single card, "Why don't you take this. Something just tells me that it belongs with you."

"Huh? Wow! For real?" he breathed, taking the gift and looking at it intensely.

"Good luck." The leather-clad man walked past the boys and continued on his way, but suddenly stopped, "Oh, while I'm at it..." he took his cards back and and looked into it, until he picked one out, presenting it to Jason, "You can have this one. It's not really my style but maybe you can make better use of it."

"Uh..." Jason took the card from the man, Thank you.".

"Oh! Hey, wait! Thank you!", Jaden bowed in gratitude and then stuttered, "I… I'll make you proud!"

The stranger stopped walking and replied with a thumbs-up, before strolling away. Jaden watches him go, amazed, then stares with awe at the card in his hand.

"So..." Jason then spoke up, "You know who that guy was?"

Jaden stared at him for a moment before trying to stifle a laugh, "Yeah, that's a good one!" before running off again. Jason stood there confused before he chased after him.

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><p>Back outside at the registration table, now empty, a black-suited school official and two young women wearing white Academy blazers trimmed with yellow were packing up, ready to leave. The official checked his watch, then turned to the ladies and said, "Well, ladies, that's it. Mark all the no-shows, no-shows."<p>

"Wait!" a voice came and they turned to the bushes by the railing; Jaden and Jason himself up, apparently climbed up the cliff to get there. Their clothes were smutched and hair full of leaves, "You can... count Jaden Yuki as present, thank you! Well, just so long as I... don't lose my grip!" the three stared as Jason stumbled over the rails and fell on his back trying to catch his breath.

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><p>In a large dome ontop of a hill, the Duel Academy entrance exams are well underway. On the stadium floor, at least four separate duel arenas have been walled off, in which Academy hopefuls square off against test proctors. In a special set of risers, proctors who weren't dueling were watching the matches or working on paperwork. Among them sat a couple of faculty. One wore pink frills at the cuffs, collar, and shoulders of his blue Academy blazer, and wore his blonde hair in a rather girlishly long ponytail. Thin-faced, sharp-nosed, with dark purple lips and a skeletal neck, he was strange and quite unhealthy-looking. The other was a woman with a dark completion and dark hair. She wore a black leather blazer lined with gold silk, with black fingerless gloves. And what made this woman special was these long horn-like extensions sticking upward. With her piercing green eyes she glared at every aspect of the arenas like a persistent guard dog.<p>

"Once again, all Academy applicants who have already passed their duel entrance exam please proceed to registration," someone announced from the loudspeakers. "For those who have failed, better luck next year."

'And have fun at Duel Monsters community college!' the girly man sneered.

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><p>Down on one of the dueling fields, a match was raging. The proctor summon a purple bug with piercing fangs. It emerged from a giant card and attacked a rather tiny kid opposite. This Academy hopeful wore a grey sort of japanese-style school suit and sneakers. He had a pair of small glasses on his nose, and his hair was turquoise and somewhat unruly. He looked up miserably at the stadium bleachers with wide grey eyes as he recovered from the attack. 'Aw, man. I can barely concentrate with all these Academy kids staring at me, judging me! What I wouldn't give to already be enrolled in the school, like them!'<p>

"Last call for all Academy applicants," the loudspeaker repeated, "If you have not checked in for your exam, please do so now."

Another duel went on another arena. A boy with short and spiky red hair and wore a red biker jacket and blue jeans was facing a horned orange creature with two mouths.

"Alright! Ultimate Baseball Kid, take out his life-points!" a small person in a baseball uniform swatted a ball of fire at the test proctor, taking the rest of his life-points.

"Alright, you win," the proctor said in a boring tone. "Welcome to Duel Academy."

"Yes! Made it!" the boy said pumping his fist.

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><p>In a third arena, a girl with long black hair was facing a proctor with a large child-like dragon on his field.<p>

"I activate the trap card Return from the Different Dimension!" five dragons in different forms suddenly appeared, "Now attack!" the dragon army fired off and destroyed the child-dragon and the proctor's life-points.

"Congratulations, miss!" the proctor praised, "You've officially enrolled to Duel Academy!"

The girl just scoffed, and walked away without saying a word.

The turquoise-haired hopeful rubbed the sweat off his forehead in relief. He passed, albeit just barely. He breathed a nervous sigh of relief, on the sidelines after his match.

Jaden and Jason ran up behind him, the former grabbing the railing separating them from the top row of bleachers. "Haha, wow, look at 'em go!"

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><p>At the forth arena, the trio noticed a duel going on duel between a boy about their wearing a grayish-white school uniform and another dueling proctor. On the field in front of the proctor were two monsters kneeling, wan was a bulky man kneeling behind a giant shield, the other a large robot with spikes. The monster opposing the dueling proctor was a beastly-looking fighter wielding an axe and there was also a face-down card.<p>

"Alright, new guy. Multiple choice!" the proctor said, "Ya got two monsters starin' ya down. Do you, A: throw in the towel; B: beg for mercy; or C: run home to mama!"

"I'll go with D: none of the above!" the applicant said, and a card with a magenta background flipped up.

"A trap?!"

"Exactly. You see, with Ring of Destruction, I can destroy any monster on the field that's in ATK mode; and then we both take damage equal to that monster's ATK points." A Ring of red bombs appeared around his monster's neck and exploded on impact, damaging both their life-points, the proctor's points dropping to zero.

"Clever move," He said. "Welcome to the academy."

The boy bowed to him and said dryly, "Thank you, oh wise proctor."

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><p>Up in the stands, a trio of blue-blazered students had just watched the duel end. The first had smooth, slate-blue hair and little glasses. The second had spiky brown hair sticking straight up. The third had spiky black hair, brown-grey eyes, and exceptionally pale skin.<p>

"Wow, that guy's pretty good, don'tcha think, Chazz?" The boy with blue hair and glasses asked.

"Guess the rumors about him being some kinda whiz-kid were true, huh, Chazz?" The boy on the other side said.

"He's a punk." The person in the middle called Chazz scoffed. "We went to Duel prep school for the past three years. We're ready for the Academy. These kids don't know what they're getting into. But they'll learn; the hard way, the Chazz Princeton way."

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><p>"Wow, that last guy really tore it up!" Jaden commented.<p>

"I wonder who that guy was..." Jason spoke.

"That's Bastion Misawa. They say he got the highest score on the written exam of all us applicants."

"Wow, I just barely passed." Jaden confessed.

"Yeah, me too. My name's Syrus, by the way, nice to meetcha. I kinda have a thing where I get test anxiety; I don't know how I won my match..."

"So you're in!" Jaden gave Syrus a friendly slap on the back, startling him. "Congratulations! I'll be in too, as soon as I win my duel!"

"Wait. You haven't dueled yet?"

"Naw."

"Then you might have a problem. I think this was supposed to be the last one!" What Syrus had said just caused Jason to stand stiff. He had to travel halfway across the world to enroll in this special school and now he just wasted all that money just because he was late.

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><p>In the teachers' seats, the purple-blazered proctors were chatting among themselves.<p>

"Looks like we have a pretty good crop this year." one of them said.

"Yes, indeed.", agreed another.

As Crowler closed a book he was writing on, getting ready to pack up, the black official from the parking lot came over and said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but two remaining applicant have arrived to take their exam, Mister Crowler."

"Did you just call me Mister?!"

"Oh, sorry, I'm new here, Missus-"

"I have a Ph.D in dueling, I've earned the title Doctor, thank you! Now, tell the truants that they'll just have to come back next year."

"Oh, come on, Dr. Crowler. We have time for a couple more." protested one of the proctors.

"Yes, let's give these duelist their chance."

"They were just a bit late, that's all-"

"Which is why there's no point to even bother," the proctors turned to see the woman in black speak up, "We've already finished our last examination just now and we have twelve minutes spared only to gather our belongings and leave. Having to test a couple of latecomers would no doubt set us back and-" the tone of a cell phone suddenly rang.

Crowler answered it, with an irritable tone, "Hello, and who may I ask is-"

"It's Sheppard." said the caller.

"Ah, Chancellor Sheppard!"

"Just calling to be sure that everything's running smoothly, Crowler. Wouldn't want a repeat of what happened last year..." Crowler was at a loss for words, "...when you cut a third of our student applicants for some ridiculous reason. What was it? Calling you 'Mr.', or 'Mrs.'...? Whatever! Just make sure everyone gets a fair shot!"

"Absolutely!" Crowler replied but before he could hang up she snatched the phone away and answered it.

"Chancellor Sheppard!"

"Yes, can I help you?"

"I feel you'd like to know we've already finished our exams and we only have time to pack up and leave."

"And everyone's been tested?"

"There are two who just arrived, but they won't be taking the-."

"If we still have examinees then they should have their chance."

"...With all due respect, sir, I don't think they should be allowed to test if they should be late for their own exams."

"We've been over this; anyone who managed to register should be able to duel."

"I understand that sir, but-"

"You can test them yourself if you want to, but I expect you to give these would-be students a chance."

"Yes sir..." with that said, she hung up. "We'll have to test the remaining two registers." she said grudgely and walked away.

'Furry-chinned windbag!, Crowler thought. 'Doesn't he realize that there are enough talentless flunkies at this Academy? But he's the boss, and if he wants to give these scrimshankers a duel, fine!'

"But, uh, who's gonna be the boys' dueling proctors, and what exam deck shall we use?" asked one of the proctors.

"Leave that to me!" Crowler left, leaving the proctors dumbfolded.

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><p>Bastion, the student who won the last exam duel, took a seat in the top of the bleachers, "Tight duel, Bastion!" he looked over his shoulder at Jaden, leaning over the divider next to Syrus and Jason.<p>

"Thank you." he answered with aloof modesty.

"From the looks of it, you just might be the second best duelist here!"

"Jaden Yuki, Jason Hutchins, please report to exam field 2," the announcer said.

"Go time!" Jaden said, him and Jason running down the steps, "Wish me luck, guys!"

"Wait for me, I don't know how to get there..." Jason spoke trying to catch up with him.

"Hey, wait, if I'm second best, then who's first?" Bastion asked.

"Ha! Yours truly," he said, pointing to himself. "It's what I'm best at!"

"Wow! He's so sure of himself. I wonder if he's really that good." Syrus sighed sceptically.

"Well, he's going to need to be. Because look who they're dueling." Bastion said and watched as two people walked into the appointed area.

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><p>On the field, Dr. Crowler and the woman in black being prepped and ready to duel. Crowler's disk looked as though it was crafted into his blazer. The part that held his deck slot was strapped to his chest. The tray Crowler used to play his cards looked like a long and giant axe-blade. It was separated from the main device and had to be held by hand.<p>

The other's device was a jackal's head that held her deck in its mouth and was strapped to her left wrist. In her right hand look nothing more that a golden chromed staff with a set of scales at the tip, while there was another gadget strapped to her left hip. They waited until Jaden Yuki entered the arena through a rising floor platform, looking around in the wrong direction.

"Alright, test time!" Crowler said looking at Jaden very confidently. "So, son, your name?"

Jaden stood at attention like a soldier and replied. "Uh…Jaden, Jaden Yuki."

"Well 'Uh-Jaden-Yuki', I'm Doctor Vellian Crowler, Department Chair and Techniques Professor here at Duel Academy."

"Wow," Jaden said, rubbing the back of his neck with a hearty laugh. "A Department chair, I had no idea. From the way you were dressed I thought you were some kind of Academy mascot; like, a... a majorette, or a cheerleader!" Crowler sweatdropped at that comment.

A loud clank brought Crowler and Jaden's attention as the looked towards the woman in black who banged on the floor with her staff. "There were supposed to be two of you here," she said, so where's the other one?"

The door opened up and Jason poked his through, "Excuse me, is this the right place?"

"This is duel arena 4, yes." the woman in black replied. Jason entered and stood beside Jaden.

"Well, then, since everyone's accounted for, let's begin, shall we?" Crowler insisted, pressing a button on the unusual duel-disk he was wearing, "Duel vest on!"

The two teens watched in awe as Crowler operated the machine. The button he pressed causes the deck to spit out five cards for an opening hand, and Crowler smoothly caught them. His posture with the duel-vest conveyed the appearance almost that he was playing a musical instrument with grace and ease.

"Whoa, pretty sweet, teach!" Jaden said, "How do I get one a' those cool blue duel blazers?"

"Oh, a lot of hard work and extremely high marks," Crowler said, 'Of course, you first have to get into Duel Academy, and I intend to make certain that won't be happening!'

"Wait, where is your duel-disk?" the woman in black asked Jason after banging her staff again on the floor.

"Huh? What, me?"

"Yes, you; where is it?"

"Um, well, I don't have it."

"You mean you intended to try out without bringing a duel-disk?"

"No... I don't even own a duel-disk." Jason answered, causing her to scowl.

"Of course..." she muttered.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Crowler replied scornfully, "Unfortunately you can't participate in the field test without a duel-disk, so if you don't mind..."

"I've ordered someone to bring a spare disk to this area. It will take a couple of minutes." she interrupted.

"Um, excuse me?" Crowler asked distrustful, "Are you sure that would ba a good idea to-"

"If an examinee does not own a duel-disk for the exam, a test proctor will appoint one to them for the duration of their test," she recited, "As long as it doesn't break there's no problem with letting a participant borrow a duel-disk." soon the same assistants returned to the field and gave Jason a duel-disk for him to put on. "Now that you're properly equipped, let me introduce myself: my name is Ms. Anais, and my partner is named Dr. Crowler. We will be your opponents for your duel exam," Anais placed her staff in front of her and four extensions folded out from the bottom, letting the staff stand on its end. Then the shaft lowered itself to half its height. She then removed a mechanical pad from her side that was the same gold as the staff. She placed it ontop of the staff where it held the scales. It fanned itself out to fit a set of five cards on top and slots to fit five inside, all held by a large green gem. She fiddled with her gold podium before turning back to the two young duelists, "I've set a timer on my duel-disk to go off in fifteen minutes. If you lose the duel or are unable to defeat your opponents before the timer goes off, you won't pass. Am I clear?"

"Uh, yeah." Jason answered.

"Loud and clear!" Jaden added.

"Good. Then let us duel! Activate virtual simulator!" the gem on her podium lit up.

**Jaden: 4000**

**Crowler: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

**Anais: 4000**

"Allow me to give you a few rules before we begin. We each take turns drawing but we'll each be playing one-on-one. That means Mr. Yuki will duel Dr. Crowler and Mr. Hutchins will be facing me. That means when one duelist is facing their opponent they cannot use their cards to influence any other opposing player. Now on with the duel; and Mr. Yuki will take the first turn."

"Here goes!" Jaden drew his first card, "Sweet! I'm gonna summon, (1) Elemental Hero Avian(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) in DEF mode!" the monster in suggestions was a white-winged masked man dressed in all but his buff chest in green feathers. He roosted onto his card with his arms crossed (DEF: 1000), "I'll also throw down a face-down," a face-down reverse-card appeared behind Avian, "All right, get your game on!"

"Yes, very good.", remarked Crowler. He then thought bitterly, 'Don't tell me what to do!' he drew his sixth card, and grinned wickedly at his options, 'After all, since I'm using my own personal deck, rather than one of those test ones, I'll be calling all the shots! I'll fail those two insolent brat and send them home in no time!' "All right, for this first move, I think I'll start nice and easy! I choose to play the spell card Confiscation!"

"Okay…" Jaden replied nervously, "So what's it do?"

"What it does is allow me to pay 1000 life-points for the chance to see your hand and toss one of your cards to the graveyard!", Jaden's cards glowed, and holographic images of them appeared in front of Crowler, "Hmm… Oh, yes, I remember some these when I was just a naïve rookie. Now which of these shall I banish…?", Crowler thought it over before pointing to a card, "Monster Reborn, to the graveyard!", the card he pointed at flipped over to Jaden and 'shattered'. Jaden was forced to put the Monster Reborn on his hand into his duel-disk's Graveyard slot.

**Jaden: 4000**

**Crowler: 3000**

"Next, I lay two cards face-down on the playing field." Crowler sets two cards, "And, last but not least, I play my Heavy Storm spell card! This spell card destroys every other spell and trap card that's out on the field!" there was plenty of wind and not only did it destroy Jaden's face-down Draining Shield, it also destroyed Crowler's two reverse-cards.

"Whoopsie!", Jaden smirked, "Did you forget that you had two Trap Cards out on the field yourself?"

"Now, now, you mustn't speak out of turn, young scholar!", Grey, stormy clouds appeared around Crowler, as through he and Jaden were dueling atop an imminent rainstorm.

"Uhh…What's happening?"

"Nothing's happening," Two golden serpents in masks and headdresses then rose from the fog underneath, "Not yet, but that's about to change!"

* * *

><p>"Uh, could somebody tell me what's going on?" Syrus wondered aloud.<p>

"The two trap cards that Doctor Crowler had on the field were called Statue of the Wicked," Bastion explained, "It's a special trap that creates a Vicious Token (4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) monster when destroyed. That's why he played Heavy Storm."

* * *

><p>"Ready for your next lesson?" Crowler sneered.<p>

"You bet!" Jaden laughed, "I can't remember the last time learning was this much fun!"

"Hm. Yes, well. I'm quite an excellent teacher, thank you. and now I sacrifice my two Wicked Tokens, and summon (*) Ancient Gear Golem(8/ATK: 3000/DEF: 3000)!" the two worm-like creatures were melded down and up rose a robotic colossus made of gears and iron, towering over Crowler (ATK: 3000).

"Now, now, I hope you're not too scared of my legendary Ancient Gear Golem?" Crowler asked sarcastically.

"Aw, no way!" Jaden beamed, "I've always wanted to take one on!"

"Golem, atta-a-a-ck!" Crowler cackled, "Mechanized Melee!" The gears in Golem's face started to whir; it cranked back one massive first, and punched straight for Avian. Jaden's monster was smashed.

"Aw, Jaden's monster didn't stand a chance!" Syrus groaned, "His DEF points were way too low! This isn't looking good."

"And it's about to look a lot worse," Bastion added, "When that Ancient Gear Golem attacks a monster in DEF mode, the difference between its ATK points and the defending monster's DEF points gets dealt to the opponent as damage."

"But that would mean... Jaden's life-points are going to take a hit!"

And the giant metal fist turned on Jaden, and the hologram punched right through him; his life-points dropped, leaving him momentarily winded.

**Jaden: 1000**

**Crowler: 3000**

Crowler cackled as he watched the boy's shoulders shake, "Don't feel bad, this is the top dueling school in the country! Some people simply aren't..." during his boasting, Crowler has started to notice that Jaden wasn't crying... "cut out... for..."

"Boy, I really wanna come to this school now!" Jaden laughed, "You really know your stuff, teach!"

That took the scowling Crowler by surprise, "Rggh, can't he take a hint?! He will not be allowed to pass this exam! And he certainly won't be permitted to make a mockery of my deck!"

"Just look at 'im tremble!" Jaden thought, "He must really be impressed by me!"

"Doctor Crowler, if you are to just stand around not doing anything..." Anais said with a glare, "I would assume your turn is over?"

"Yes, I end my turn!" Crowler answered, annoyed.

"Very well..." she turned her glare back to Jason, "There are ten minutes on the timer remaining. Make your move, Examinee."

"O-okay..." Jason said and drew his next card. After scanning his hand, he decided to pick one out, "I activate the magic card, A Hero Lives!" a lager version of the card appeared on the field, "When there are no monsters on my field, I can summon an Elemental Hero that's level-4 or below... So the monster I decide on will be (5) Elemental Hero Knospe(3/ATK: 600/DEF: 1000)," the card he summoned was something that looked like a walking plant. It stood on large grass blades and its body was made of big flower buds, one that made up its torso and another its head that also had a face; and two more made up its hands (ATK: 600), "And since it's a special-summon... I can summon another monster from my hand. And I summon (6) Elemental Hero Lady Heat(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1000)!" next to the plant monster came a young woman with glowing red hair; she wore a white spandex accented in red plumes of flame, and attache with shoulder-pads and a short orange cape, as well as a red headdress with a small orange gem (ATK: 1300), "Now I end my turn, which activates the effect of Lady Heat. She can inflict 200 points of damage to your life-points for every Elemental Hero on my field. And since I have 2, I can inflict 400 points of damage to your life-points!" Lady Heat lift raised her hand and a ball of fire appeared in each open palm. She then threw then at the opponent and they both made a small explosion on contact. "I'll end my turn now."

**Jason: 2000**

**Anais: 3600**

"You spent three more minutes on the clock. It's now my turn," she drew a card from her gauntlet and added it to her hand before placing a card on her pedestal, "First I set a card face-down. Next I activate the spell card Instant Fusion. By paying 1000 of my life-points, I can summon a fusion monster from my fusion-deck that is level-5 or below." a green dinosaur with a metal laser cannon for an arm appeared.

**Jason: 2000**

**Anais: 2600**

"A fusion monster without a fusion...?" Jason muttered to himself.

"Unfortunately, I cannot attack with the same monster summoned by Instant Fusion. But it can be used for another purpose. But first, I will activate another spell card: Cost Down. By discarding one card from my hand, the levels of all of the monsters in my hand are decreased by two. Now I sacrifice Cyber Saurus(5/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1400) to summon the (*) Mystical Knight of Jackal(7/ATK: 2700/DEF: 1200)!" in place of the dinosaur came a caped, cobalt-armored warrior with a jackal's face. In both hands he held a pair of katar blade (ATK: 2700), "Mystical Knight of Jackal, attack the Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" the jackal warrior rushed in and slashed at Lady Heat, destroying her.

**Jason: 600**

**Anais: 2600**

"And now the effect on my Mystical Knight's effect activates. Whenever he destroys a monster, instead of being sent to the graveyard, that very monster goes back to the top of your deck."

* * *

><p>"That means that other kid'll have to draw that same monster on his next turn!" the boy in glasses solved, " A card like that couldn't be in one a' the test decks. Crowler and Anais must be usin' their own."<p>

"Then this is over," the one with brown hair added, "No applicant could beat the deck of an expert."

"Yeah, it's impossible. Don'tcha think, Chazz?"

"Yeah, whadda you think, Chazz?"

"I think I'm gonna enjoy watching Crowler and Anais mop the floor in Round 2," Chazz sneered, "I only wish they'd treated all of the other second-rate duelists who applied at this Academy the same way!"

* * *

><p>"Three more minutes ran out of the clock," Anais reported, "Jaden Yuki, your turn begins now!"<p>

"Okay! Here Goes!" As Jaden reached for his deck to draw his next card he suddenly stopped, as if something distracted him.

"Is there a problem, Mr. Yuki!" Anais asked impatiently.

"Uh, no! All good!" Jaden drew his next card to be caught in another episode of awe. Soon after, he looked into his hand and smiled, "Okay, I summon (4) Winged Kuriboh(1/ATK: 300/DEF: 200), in DEF mode!" a small ball of brown ith eyes, suspended by a small pair of white wings (DEF: 200), "And I'll place one card face-down! Not bad, huh, teach?"

Crowler cackled, "No, not bad, but you must understand I'm a master technician. A Kuriboh, to me, is rather pedestrian. Even one with wings, you see, its DEF points are still no match for my Ancient Gear Golem. It's a textbook mistake, don't feel bad. Now let's proceed. With the legendary Ancient Gear Golem! Attack that Kuriboh with Mechanized Melee!" After the golem attacked and destroyed Kuriboh, Jaden shielded his eyes from the blast as the remains turned into little sparks in the air.

"Sorry, Winged Kuriboh..." Jaden mourned.

**Jaden: 2000**

**Crowler: 3000**

"Check your gear, your life-points haven't changed." Crowler scoffed.

"My gear's fine. On the turn Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, I take 0 damage." Crowler was thunderstruck that he didn't know that.

* * *

><p>"How 'bout that," Alexis, "a technique the good Doctor didn't know."<p>

"No one can be expected to know every technique, Alexis!" Zane replied, "Especially one as obscure as that."

"Yeah? Well, that kid sure knew it."

* * *

><p>"Fine, fine, I guess your lame little monster saved you there." Crowler said.<p>

Jaden picked up Winged Kuriboh from his duel-disk and put it into the graveyard slot. "Hey, slow down there, teach! You may've beat 'im, but that doesn't give you the right to call 'im lame!"

"Oh yes, I forgot how attached you new duelists get to your monsters," Crowler spat, "I'm sorry."

"Yeah? Well you should be, because by attacking my Winged Kuriboh, you set off a trap card! One a' my favorites, too: Hero Signal!" Jaden's trap flipped open, and shot a beam of light into the ceiling above the field, emblazoning a glowing letter H in the sky above the field, "And that brings out my second (2) Elemental Hero: Burstinatrix(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 800)!" Jaden pulled this card straight out of the middle of his deck. Crowler winced as an unnatural red fire flashed into existence in one of Jaden's monster card spaces. Amid the flames, a second fire-themed superhero appeared, a lady in a shiny red catsuit, boots, and gloves. The edges of her black hair were white, like burned charcoal, her costume completed with a gold helmet with a small emerald gem (ATK: 1200), "That's it for my turn!"

"Three minutes out," Anais said, "It's your turn now, Jason Hutchins."

"Okay..." Jason drew out his monster card, "And I summon... (7) Elemental Hero, Ice Edge(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 900)!" a small, child-like figure wearing blue spandex under angular white armor appeared. The warior shot a glare from under his horned white helmet (ATK: 800). "Next, I switch elemental Hero Knospe to ATK position!" the small plant-man rose up (ATK: 600).

"There had better be a reason behind putting those two monsters into ATK position," Anais said, unimpressed, "My monster is leagues more powerful than yours."

"Elemental Heroes, attack!" the two heroes bounded from the floor. Ice Edge fired small shards of ice from his hands while Knopse fired small seeds from its open buds. Anais shielded herself from the combined attack.

**Jason: 600**

**Anais: 1200**

Anais looked back up as the two heroes landed, slightly amazed, "Both monsters attacked directly? But how?!"

"By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, Ice Edge can attack your life-points even when there's a monster on your field," Jason answered, "And then there's another Elemental Hero on my side of the field with Knospe he can do the same thing! And when inflicts damage, his ATK points increases by 100, while his DEF points decreased by the same amount!"

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 700/DEF: 900)

'I guess there's more to that other kid than meets the eye as well,' Zane thought as he continued to watch the exam, 'But that would be the case if he could protect his life-points from Anais' next attack..."

"I activate the magic card Fusion Sage!" Jason played another spell card, "This allows me to add another magic card called 'Polymerization' from my deck to my hand!" he removed his deck and looked into it until he found the card he was looking for. He added the card into his hand and then sat down onto the floor.

"What are you doing...?" Anais wondered. She watched as Jason divided his deck into two, and held them close to the floor. He then shifted his fingers, letting the cards fall and made sure that not too many cards from one half fell before the cards from the other. After that he pushed the interleaved cards together into a single stack. He did it a couple more times before standing back up and placing the deck back into the duel-disk. Anais frowned slightly grew, "So are you done shuffling your deck?"

"Yes, ma'am. And I activate the spell card Polymerization!" Jason placed yet another spell into his duel-disk, "By sending two or more monsters from my hand or my field to the graveyard, I can summon a fusion-monster from my fusion-deck!"

"I know what fusion does, applicant!" Anais scowled, "Don't bother telling me what anyone who played this game already knows!"

"I send Elemental Hero Ice Edge and Elemental Hero Knospe on my field to the graveyard to summon from my fusion-deck!" an bluish-greed vortex appeared in which the two heroes were absorbed inside. In their place came out a larger warrior with white armor and a cape. He looked like a much larger version of Ice Edge."(8) Elemental Hero Absolute Zero(8/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000) in DEF position! I place 1 card face-down! I end my turn now!"

"All of that flourish and it's only a monster 200 ATK points short," Anais criticized as she drew her next card, "You wasted four minutes but you managed to inflict damage and replace attacking monsters with a defending one. Now on with my turn. I activate the face-down trap card, Non-Agression Area! By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, you will be unable to summon any monsters not already on the field on your next , I activate the equip-spell card Black Pendant! This card increases the ATK points of the monster attached to it by 500!" a necklace with a small black gem hanging from it appeared around Mystical Knight's neck (ATK: 3200), "Mystical Knight of Jackal, attack the Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" like before, the jackal warrior rushed into enemy likes for an attack. But when he thrust his katars towards his target, his attack was blocked by Absolute Zero with his gauntlets.

"I activate my magic card, Spell Shattering Arrow!" Jason revealed his face-down, "This card destroys all face-up magic cards on your field and you take 500 points of damage for each one destroyed!" the hero pushed them back and quickly summoned a small spear made of ice and threw at at the Mystical Knight. The speak didn't pierce the armor but shattered the amulet (ATK: 2700). "And since it's a quick-play magic card, I can use it like a trap card... Right?"

**Jason: 600**

**Anais: 700**

"That's correct, but Black Pendant has another ability. When it's sent to the graveyard, you take 500 points of damage." Anais said as the remains of the pendant released some dark energy and shocked Jason.

**Jason: 100**

**Anais: 700**

"And as my monster is stronger, yours is still destroyed," Mystical Knight of Jackal slashed away at Absolute Zero. The hero staggared back as his armor recieved a pair of long gashes, glowing with energy from the inside. Absolute Zero then charged in and grabbed the jackal warrior, "What effect is this...?"

"When Elemental Hero Absolute Zero is destroyed, all other monsters on your side of the field are destroyed along with him!" Jason said as Absolute Zero self-destructed, and managed to freeze Mystical Knight of Jackal solid right before the knight shattered.

* * *

><p>"Did you see that?!" the boy with brown hair gasped, "That hero-guy took Anais' rarest monster out along with 'im!"<p>

"I never seen a monster even to something like that before!" the one in glasses added.

Chazz scoffed and looked away with a scowl, "All he did was put up his monster to pasture. It's no different from using a spell card to destroy it."

* * *

><p>"My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "All right, Winged Kuriboh, this next one's gonna be for you... Here goes nothin'. First off, I'm gonna bring back Avian to my hand with the spell card The Warrior Returning Alive! And now, I'm gonna summon him to the field!" the winged hero returned and joined Burstinatrix beside her (ATK: 1000)<p>

Crowler smirk condescendingly, "Oh, okay, another amateurish mistake. But this is good, this is good. Now, would anyone like to tell me what our little friend did wrong here-"

"Actually, I wasn't done yet. Haven't you learned anything from my Jason's last move? See, I know my two heroes aren't very powerful by themselves. But, if I can form them together it's another story! And I have just the card to unite them!" Jaden showed a card from his hand and Crowler growled silently, "Look familiar? It's Polymerization! Join Avian and Burstinatrix! Fusion Summon!" the same blue vortex appeared and absorbed the two heroes; and and like before, a larger one took their place. This one, a melding of fire and wind, looked more alien. He had one huge feathery wing, and the other shoulder was all red scales and muscle, culminating in a dragon's head for a right arm. He had a long, red reptilian tail and talons for feet, "There he is: the (3) Elemental Hero Flame Wingman(6/ATK: 2100/DEF: 1200)! So. Teach. Whaddaya think?"

"I think you're dueling 'very well', for an amateur," Crowler mocked, "But next time try playing a monster that has more ATK points than what's already out?"

* * *

><p>"What's he mean?" Syrus wondered.<p>

"He means that Wingman's ATK points are no match for his Golem's 3000," Bastion explained, "Shame, too, because when the Wingman destroys a monster, that monster's ATK points are dealt as damage to its owner."

"Wait, you mean they're deducted right out of his life-points?" Syrus asked, "Oh, that would've been a great way for Jaden to turn things around."

"Well, if your friend's as good as he says he is, he might still find a way."

"Wow, did we really seem like friends?"

* * *

><p>"All right, young scholar. I don't mean to rush you, but I am a busy man. Are you done yet?"<p>

"Of course I'm not done yet! And of course, I knew my Wingman had less attack points than your Golem. That's why I have this: Skyscraper!" he threw another spell card into the field-spell slot on the end of his duel disk, "Go!" the ground around Jaden started to shimmer with iridescent light, and tall buildings began to shoot up from the floor of the entire arena like fast-growing trees. Before anyone knew it, Jaden and Crowler were dueling on a cityscape of humongous buildings, lit by the illuminated windows and the full moon above the tallest building. Some of the buildings were taller than Ancient Gear Golem was, standing on the ground, and some aren't. Flame Wingman, in his element, can be seen standing on the tip of the metal spire atop the tallest building, silhouetted by the moon, "All right, Flame Wingman! Go show those heroics- and attack that Ancient Gear Golem!" Flame Wingman faced his foe, below him in the streets of the city, and leap into a glide.

"Fine with me! Bring him on!" Crowler sneered, "This silly little Skyscraper field card hasn't lowered my Golem's ATK level by one point!"

Flame Wingman continued his dive, darting between buildings too quick to be seen. He landed on the ground in front, then kicked off, soaring high into the air above Gear Golem's head, "Y'know what, teach? You're right! This Skyscraper field hasn't lowered your Golem's ATK points; what it's done is raise my Elemental Hero Wingman's, by a grand total of 1000!"

Elemental Hero Flame Wingman: (ATK: 3100)

Crowler became flabbergasted when Flame Wingman became stronger. "Wait! Time out!"

"Go! Skydive Scorcher!" Flame Wingman had hit the top of his upward arc, and his power soared as he flipped and dived straight downward, beginning to flame around the edges like a meteor, heading right for Gear Golem. Crowler freaked, wringing his hair in agony as Flame Wingman collided with Gear Golem. The crowd collectively gasps as there was a huge explosion of golden light, with lots of smoke.

Debris rained down on Crowler. "This can't be! He was my very best card!" a small block of falling concrete beaned him on the head.

Wingman landed nimbly next to Jaden. "And 'cause of my Wingman's super-power, the ATK points of that Golem are dealt straight to your life-points. Sweet, huh?"

Crowler, already carrying a piece of concrete on his head and looking like a idiot, was just stunned, "No way...!" he yelped and frantically looks around, looking for some way to take cover from the tilting golem, but it collapses right on top of him. Crowler can be seen under the pile of scrap metal, mussed and defeated. as life-points completely depleted, Jaden gave him a jaunty two-fingered salute. "That's game!" he winked, "So I guess I passed the test; huh, teach?"

His duel done, Flame Wingman faded and the skyscrapers disappear, and so did the pile of metal, returning to the testing arena with Crowler is lying on the field, completely shell-shocked.

"Impossible..." he groaned, "there's no way this delinquent could defeat me...!"

* * *

><p>Chazz's partners were agape. Chazz himself was even more thunderstruck; his eyes were wide, intense, almost frightened. "It must be dumb luck...!" he muttered, "No way Crowler could lose to some flunky!"<p>

* * *

><p>"That kid's got a future here. Wow!" Alexis praised. She glanced over to see if Zane agreed, just to see him turn and walk away with a grunt.<p>

* * *

><p>"All right! Yeah, Jaden!" Syrus cheered.<p>

Even Bastion was smiling, 'Nice. I could use a little competition.'

* * *

><p>Jaden was jumping up and down on the field and continued to cheer back at the crowd. But they were all interupted as they were forced to cover their ears from a shrilling, screeching noise.<p>

"If you're all quite done?!" Anais snapped after whistling, "Only one applicant passed their exam. There's still one more!" she turned back to Jason, "So if you're ready, applicant, your turn begins now!"

"Okay..." Jason drew his next card, "I activate the Ookazi magic card! With this I can inflict 800 points of damage to my opponent's life-points!" a huge ball of fire shot out of the card and hit Anais.

**Jason: 100**

**Anais: 0**

Anais lowered her arms and looked back up at her opponent with her unchanged expression, "You won the duel, it seems," she said walking towards him, "Nevertheless you dueling is nothing to be impressed about," she stopped right behind the applicant, "Let me ask you something; Fusion Sage, you had that card in your deck from the beginning, didn't you?"

Jason looked back towards her, "Yeah, but how did you..."

"You were unable to draw any new cards the turn after my Mystical Knight of Jackal destroyed your monster. It's only logical. If you had used it in the beginning you may have been able to summon a stronger monster so you wouldn't have to lose so many life-points on the first attack. And just halving you life-points right off the bat, that was just plain ridiculous. All you did was put your life-points at risk," Anais continued to walk away, "What you did was nothing special. But you have the school year to shape up. Welcome to the academy in the meantime..."

As he watched Anais leave the arena he thought about what she just said. He didn't know he would be criticized like that. This game must be some kind of a big deal for her to act like that. He didn't even get to use the card that guy gave him. He thought he did his best but it looked like he had a long way to go if he wanted to go to the academy. Before he knew it Jaden wrapped an arm around him, "That's just great! Now we're all going to the academy!" he let go and pat him on the back, "Hey, those heroes are really something! When we meet back at the academy, let's have a duel first thing! Later..." Jason stood there being the only person in the arena as everyone else left. He guessed that Duel Academy must be as special as they say. He also guessed that he better leave because he gets locked inside.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Elemental Hero Avian  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: WIND  
><strong>

**(2) Elemental Hero Burstinatrix  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior] LV: 3 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**(3) Elemental Hero Flame Wingman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: WIND****

****Effect: "Elemental HERO Avian" + "Elemental HERO Burstinatrix"****

****This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster.****

**(4) Winged Kuriboh  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 300/DEF: 200)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

********Effect: You take no Battle Damage from battles involving this card. After this card on the field is destroyed, any Battle Damage the controller of this card takes this turn becomes 0.********

**(5) Elemental Hero Knospe  
><strong>

**Stats: [Plant/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 600/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Each time this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: It gains 100 ATK and loses 100 DEF. While you control another face-up "Elemental HERO" monster, your opponent cannot target this card for an attack, and this card can attack your opponent directly.**

**(6) Elemental Hero Lady Heat  
><strong>

**Stats: [Pyro/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

****Effect: During each of your End Phases: Inflict 200 damage to your opponent for each face-up "Elemental HERO" monster you control.  
><strong>**

**(7) Elemental Hero Ice Edge  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 600/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: WATER**

******Effect: When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent by a direct attack: You can target 1 Set card in your opponent's Spell & Trap Card Zone; destroy that target. Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1: You can discard 1 card; this card can attack your opponent directly this turn.  
><strong>****

**(8) Elemental Hero Absolute Zero  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 600/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: WATER**

********Effect: 1 "HERO" monster + 1 WATER monster********

********Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 500 ATK for each face-up WATER monster on the field, except "Elemental HERO Absolute Zero". When this card leaves the field: Destroy all monsters your opponent controls.  
><strong>******

**(9) Ancient Gear Golem  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 3000/DEF: 3000)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

********Effect: This card cannot be Special Summoned. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent. If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any set Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step.  
><strong>******

**(10) Mystical Knight of Jackal  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2700/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

****************Effect: When this card destroys 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field and sends it to your opponent's Graveyard as a result of battle, you can then return the card to the top of your opponent's Deck.****************

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA<strong>

**"Hey, Duelists! Did you know..."**

**"Absolute Zero" represents 0 Kelvin. At absolute zero, life cannot exist."**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	2. First Day at the Academy

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>The first day of the next week went by very slow but Jason managed to be patient. Now he found himself in a room on a boat on the way to the academy. Even after the exams he still wondered how a card game was such a big deal. He knew it was very popular, but where he came from, it wasn't much of a big deal. He was the only one in his town to carry cards like this and the only others he could duel with were at a flea market where he bought his cards. Problem is he lost those very few games he was lucky enough to play. Now he's on his way to a school where he could be a professional in this card game. He overheard the captain said the trip to the school was a hour away, so he wondered how long it's been. So he got up from the bed and went out for fresh air.<p>

* * *

><p>Once outside on the top deck he went to the bow and leaned against the rail. He could see nothing but water wherever he looked, even the mainland where he came from long disappeared. Although he liked how the sun reflected on the moving waves...<p>

"Hey, you over there!" Jason turned to see the person shouting at him, a boy his age with short and spiky fire-red hair, then who came to the railings also, "I know you! You were at the KaibaDome! I saw you have to go up against Anais!"

"Oh; Ok..." Jason looked back over the water.

"I mean, there's gotta be something to you and that other guy having to go up against faculty!" he continued, "Did you do something to tick them off?"

"What other guy?"

"You know; that other guy who was with you! You were both using the same kind of cards!"

Jason then thought back to when he took the exam. There was indeed someone who used different Elemental Hero cards. But he already forgot what his name was, "Oh. That guy."

"I still couldn't believe you managed to beat Anais' real deck! Trust me, I saw her duel with it before and it's nothing to laugh about!"

Soon they heard the ship's foghorn on speaker, "We will soon be arriving on Duel Academy Island. Please take all personal belongings with you." the captain said.

"Hey! I see the island!" and so had Jason. There was looked like a piece of land fit for a small city. Near the back their was smoke coming out of what looked like a volcano.

Soon the boat was docked and Jason stepped off at a concrete port. "Hey! Wait up!" he spotted the red-haired boy catching up to him with his bags. "Wanna pair up? Principal's giving a welcoming speech in the main building!"

"Do you know where it is?" Jason asked.

"Sure! I've been here before so I know where I'm going! Let's hurry!" Jason followed the kid into the large building in the middle of the island. That main building of the academy looked rather unique in its architecture. The topmost roof was a white, shiny dome, with smaller domes in blue, red, and yellow for lesser roofs. At the back corners of the building were two tall rectangular pillars made of yellow stone, capped with square-based pyramid points. The one on the right tilts to the side, and another from outside the building leaned against it. The front of the building was framed by two more of those pillars, tapering down to a first story of that same brownish-tan stone. Concrete legs flared out from above the front entrance, creating shadows of shade as the two students walked into the building.

* * *

><p>Inside a large classroom, a neatly ordered group of thirty five rowsix column students, each wearing a red, yellow, or blue school blazer, stands at attention. Jason and the boy he followed were standing in the back wearing red. A group of faculty were at the front of the room, also part of the assembly. At the head of the class is a video screen, and after a moment a face of a middle-aged bald man with a brown mustache and goatee appeared on it.

"Good morning and welcome, my students!" the man introduced, "I'm Chancellor Sheppard, the headmaster here; and you are the best and brightest young duelists in the world!" Jason's eyes lit up a bit. He wouldn't consider himself the best of very smart, "Now please, get yourselves settled in at your assigned dorms. I think you'll find them quite comfortable... depending upon how you ranked, of course." Sheppard gave a hearty laugh before the screen turned off.

* * *

><p>"C'mon! It's over that way!" Jason followed the fellow student down the dirt path towards their dormitory. They walked until they reached the edge of the island, where they saw a small building looking over the ocean. It was a yellow building with a bright red roof. From the front, they could see two stories with four doors each, with external stairs and walkways. They soon got up the stairs and stopped at the forth door at the end. The other guy pulled out a key and unlocked the door before opening it and the two peered inside, "Here we are, the old home away from homestead," The room was plain, dark with the curtains closed. There was a long desk with two rolling chairs at it along the right-side wall, and next to it on the near side was a TV. The only window in the room was on the opposite wall, covered with a dark green curtain. Against the left-side wall, there was a triple-decked wooden bunk bed, and a small stool sat near the foot of the bed. Against the wall beside the door was some sort of small kitchen area. "Hey, take the bottom bunk and I'll take the top."<p>

"Yeah," Jason nodded and dropped his bags in a corner before sitting down on the bottom bunk.

"Hey, I gotta use it! So make yourself at home, okay!" he said before leaving out the room. Jason lied down in the bed until he heard someone screaming. He looked towards the opposite wall as that was where it came from.

"Wouldja stop your screamin'!" a voice came through the wall, "Who are you and what're you doin' in my room?!"

"Oh, sorry, my name's Jaden Yuki."

"And I'm Syrus."

"We're your new...roommates." Jason recognized those two latter voices from when he came for his exam. He decided to listed in and leaned his head against the wall.

"Yeah, you're new all right, so let me tell you how things work here." the grumpy voice said.

"Uh, what things?" Jaden asked.

"Like when Parents' Weekend's gonna be?" Syrus guessed.

"Duh, like how the whole color thing works? That's more important than anything," the voice corrected, "Ya got three different kinds a' students here: Obelisk Blue students, Ra Yellow students, and Slifer Red students. Now, the Blues're the highest-ranked students; some kids're blue 'cause a' grades, others through connections. The Yellows're second-highest, mostly younger students with lots a' potential..."

Jason became startled when he was interrupted by a loud ringing sound. He looked over and found is newly-acquired PDA ringing. Picking it up, he found a message on it and opened it...

* * *

><p>The moment he read it he had to go back into the main building. He had to ask a few teachers until finally he found the door he was looking for. He was a few steps away from the door when it somehow opened on its own.<p>

"TIME WAITS FOR NO MAN!" someone bellowed before a student in red ran out and past him. He looked back at the student who kept running away screaming, and then back towards the door. He swallowed the lump in his throat before working up the courage to walk inside. It was a slightly large office with regal decoration, it even had a suit of armor.

"Ah, Jason. I've been waiting for you!" Jason turned to the end of the office to find someone else he noticed from the exams, "Come in, come in! Sit down, there's something important I need to tell you..." he sat down in a leather chair in front of the wooden desk in which Crowler was sitting behind. "Now, I assume you're wondering why I called you here. Well, I'll just get straight to the point. You see, I've been overlooking the tuition checks brought in, as well as the list of new student. The thing is, your name's among this list of students, yet I do not see you check."

"I... don't know what you mean..."

Crowler spun his chair so the back was facing towards Jason, "Let me make this more easier for you to understand: I never got your check, yet I find you here. Which means you didn't pay for your tuition."

Jason became confused. He was sure he gave his check at the front of the building before the speech earlier. And he showed it to the teachers on the mainlands before he got on the boat. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand. I'm sure I brought in my check. If you could just ask the people in front of the building..."

"I checked with them already; we all looked through them and checked them twice..." Crowler spun back around, "Yet yours was never among them."

"But I'm sure I-"

"Ah, ah!" Crowler cut him off, "The evidence are stacked against you, Mr. Hutchins! Now before we finish this conversation, I feel I have to make this clear; this isn't a discriminatory thing."

More question marks littered over Jason's head, "Uh, discriminatory...?"

"Never mind, that's irrelevant anyway. Tell me, do you know why certain students are made to wear certain colors in this establishment?"

Jason then remembered back to what Jaden and Syrus' roommate told them, "I heard that blue students are here because they're rich, and yellows are here because they're smart..."

"My, I've had many students give me such short, plain answers, but yours seem to be the best, or just the most plain I've ever heard," Crowler stood up and went around the table, "And do you know which color those people are? Red. And do you know what kind of students they are?"

"I don't know, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me-"

Jason was interrupted by a slam Crowler made on his desk with his hand, "Those who enter this academy as Slifer Red are the lowest-ranked among all students!" he shouted, "The reason they entered this academy was either by unsatisfactory grades, or some unholy miracle! Remember, I was there when you took you duel exam! And trust me when I say your dueling is sorely lacking, as poorly as you did in your written exam!" Jason shrank into his seat, the teacher's shouting starting to scare him some more. Luckily, Crowler seemed to calmed down and straightened his suit.

"I... I'm a but confused here. You said that this isn't a dis... discrim..."

"And this isn't a discriminatory thing, kind sir," Crowler said, "It's a deadbeat thing."

"Uh, what?"

"Tell me, what was that card you used to defeat Anais?"

"I think it was Ookazi, sir."

"Do you mind if I can see this card for a second?"

"Okay..." Jason pulled his cards from out of his pants pocket and pulled out the magic card to give it to Crowler. The teacher examined it closely, some sort of smile spread across his face. Them he did something Jason didn't expect... Crowler threw the card onto the floor and began stomping on it!

"DEADBEAT! DEADBEAT! DEADBEAT! DEADBEAT! DEADBEAT!" Crowler shouted. Then he stepped back with his calm expression, with the card left on the floor. Jason slowly reached out to grab it... "DEADBEAT!" Crowler stomped on it one more time. Jason felt as crushed as the crumpled card that was left on the floor. The teacher picked up the card and presented it to Jason, which the student regretfully taken back, "Now, if you don't pay your tuition by the end of the day, you'll have five seconds to convince the chancellor to let you stay here; then I'll have great pleasure of kicking you out of this academy," Crowler sneered with a sweet, "This is a place for the next generation of duelist, not brain-dead dropouts. Stand up, please," Jason slowly stood up from his seat, his eyes not leaving the crazy teacher, "I'll be waiting, Mr. Hutchins," Jason felt his world crumbling, distorting as he felt himself somehow distancing away from Crowler, "And remember: TIME WAITS FOR NO MAN!" that was Crowler's final words before giving Jason a 'peace' gesture, "Peace."

SLAM!

* * *

><p>Many thoughts ran through Jason's head when he ran back into his room. He thought about what Crowler said and his tuition check suddenly went missing when he knew he turned it in. He emptied out his bags bus couldn't find it. He could think of nothing else then but sit on the bottom bunk, unable to think what he was supposed to do. How was she supposed to tell his parents he lost the money on his first day of high school? Only one thing came to mind; and he didn't like that idea any more than dropping out. His PDA rang in his pocket, which told him his hour was up. Sighing in defeat, he went out the door and on his way to his uncertain fate. He's been through so much in such a short time, yet he didn't feel bad about the decision he made for the faculty.<p>

Afterwards Jason returned to his room. He just opened the door when... "Hey, Jason!" Jason cried out when someone shouted behind him. He looked back to see his next-door neighbor standing behind the open door, with a smile on his face and duel-disk on his arm.

"Jaden...? Uh, why are you here?"

The chestnut-haired slifer's smile dropped for a moment, "Hey, don't you remember back at the exam? I said you'd be my first opponent when we came here! Don't tell me you forgot!"

"Your opponent...?" Jason thought over what happened back at the Kaibadome, the last thing Jaden said to him... "I did remember you saying that... You're saying you want to duel now?!"

"What'd you thing I got my deck ready for!" Jaden answered, "C'mon! You ready or not?"

Jason doesn't feel like a game right now from what he went through this afternoon and what he need to tell his roommate. But then again he figured a duel would calm his nerves before the fact. "Alright, where should we do it?"

"Outside, in front of the dorm, right now!" Jaden suggested.

A few moments later both Jaden and Jason were in front of the Slifer Red Dorm, both with their duel-disks ready. Syrus and Jason's roommate were standing on the top deck watching.

"Get ready, Jason!" Jaden declared, "And get your game on!"

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I take the first move!" Jaden said, drawing his sixth card, "I summon (1) Elemental Hero Clayman(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 2000) in DEF mode!" A large, golem-like warrior appeared in brown rock-based armor, sitting on one knee with its arms crossed (DEF: 2000), "Now I throw down a face-down and call it a turn!" a reverse-card appeared behind Clayman.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card A Hero Lives! While I'm the only one without monsters on my field, I can summon an Elemental Hero from my deck! I choose Elemental Hero Ice Edge!" the small, ice-armored warrior appeared (ATK: 800).

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 2000**

"And since it's a special-summon, I can summon Elemental Hero Knospe from my hand!" the plant-man joined the ice warrior on the field, "Next I activate Ice Edge's special-ability: by sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can have Ice Edge attack directly!" both heroes attacked Jaden with a combination of ice shards and flower seeds.

**Jaden: 2400**

**Jason: 2000**

"And when they inflict damage, both of their effects activate: for Ice Edge, he can destroy 1 face-down spell/trap card on your side of the field!" Ice Edge created a spear of ice and pierced Jaden's reverse-card, which was Hero Signal, "And Knospe's ATK is raised by 100 while his DEF points are lowered by 100 (ATK: 700/DEF: 900), "Now I place a card face-down. I end my turn."

"Okay, my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Avian to the field in ATK mode!" the green-feathered, winged superhero appeared (ATK: 1000), "Next, I activate the spell card known as Feather Shot! So for the rest of this turn, Avian can attack every monster on the field! Avian, take to the skies!" Avian raised himself higher into the air and stretched his wings, where he fired a series of razor-sharp feathers that cut into the two smaller heroes and destroyed them, Knospe after Ice Edge.

**Jaden: 2400**

**Jason: 1500**

"Now I set 1 card face-down! That's it for my turn!"

a reverse-card appeared, "Hey, you gotta do better than than if you want to beat me!"

"Okay, I'll do that..." Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK position!" the fiery female hero appeared (ATK: 1300), "Attack Elemental Hero Avian!" Lady Heat fired a large ball of fire and destroyed Avian.

**Jaden: 2100**

**Jason: 1500**

"Now I end my turn, which activates Lady Heat's ability and inflict 200 points of damage!" Lady Heat hits Jaden with a smaller fireball.

**Jaden: 1800**

**Jason: 1500**

"I guess that's a good comeback..." Jaden said, drawing his next card, "But not as good as (2) Elemental Hero Sparkman(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1400)!" Jaden's next hero was a man in blue spandex lined with yellow, suited in pieces of lightning-yellow armor and a pair of arched blue metal wings on his back. The shaded blue visor mask over his face covered his identity (ATK: 1600), "His Shining Surge Flash will give Lady Heat something to be really shocked about! Go!" Sparkman shot several volts of lightning that destroyed Lady Heat.

**Jaden: 1800**

**Jason: 1200**

"That ends my turn!" Jaden concluded.

"Then it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon (4) Elemental Hero Heat(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1200) in ATK position!" that new male hero looked similar to Lady Heat, with gold-and-red gauntlets and a mask covered over his face (ATK: 1600), "And his effect increases his ATK points for each Elemental Hero on my side of the field, and I have 1. So Elemental Hero Heat now has 1800 ATK points! Now attack Sparkman!" Heat's fists ignited and charged at Sparkman.

"Sorry, but I activate my face-down, Hero Barrier!" Jaden's reverse-card opened, creating a barrier deflecting Heat's punches, "This trap protects Sparkman from an enemy's attack! Better luck next time!"

"Then I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn now!" Jaden drew his next card, "I equip Sparkman with the Spark Blaster spell card!" a large high-tech blaster attached itself to Sparkman's right arm, "This little gizmo give Sparkman the ability to switch a monster's battle-position! Show 'im what I mean, Sparkman!" Sparkman fired a blast of electricity on Heat, who was forced to DEF position, "Now attack Elemental Heat with Shining Surge Flash!" Heat was destroyed by Sparkman's signature attack. "And the neat thing about Spark Blaster is that it has a total of 3 charges! So whatever monster to summon next, I can have Sparkman switch it to ATK more or DEF mode! Let's see what you can do about that!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set a monster in DEF mode and end my turn." a face-down card appeared on Jason's monster-card zone.

"I guess that's one way to luck out..." Jaden drew his next card, "After all, Spark Blaster only affects face-up monsters. So let's see what monster you're hiding under that face-down card!" Sparkman attacked Jason's set monster, which was revealed as a green-skinned hero with a wooden right arm and leg (DEF: 2000), "Hey, that's (5)Elemental Hero Woodsman(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 2000)! I know someone who has one of those! Too bad I also know it's superpower! So I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix!" Jaden's fiery heroine appeared (ATK: 1200), "And I'll use the power of the Burst Return to return all other heroes to our hands!" Woodsman was forced back into Jason's hand while Sparkman and Clayman returned to Jaden's "Now I'll throw down a face-down! You're up!"

"Then it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "

I summon (*) Elemetal Hero Ocean(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)!" an armored merman-like warrior appeared, who had a large, long fin erected on his head, and wielded a crescent-bladed lance (ATK: 1500), "Now I'll attack with Ocean!" Ocean truck Burstinatrix down with his lance.

**Jaden: 1500**

**Jason: 1200**

"That ends my turn."

"A water-based warrior monster, huh?" Jaden drew his next card, "Two can play at that game! I summon (3) Elemental Hero Bubbleman(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)!" a blue-suited masked warrior with light-blue armor appeared, fire-hose nozzles mounted on his wrists (ATK: 800), "And the best part about him is when he's the only one out on the field, I get to draw 2 new cards!" Jaden drew another two cards, "Now this I can work with! I equip Bubbleman with Bubble Blaster, giving him double the ATK points!" Bubbleman was now holding a large bazooka-like weapon with a water dispenser on top (ATK: 1600), "Now attack Ocean with Bubble Barrage!" Ocean was destroyed by a flurry of bubbles from Bubbleman's blaster.

**Jaden: 1500**

**Jason: 1100**

"That end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF position and end my turn." the Woodsman return to the field.

"It's my turn now!" Jaden drew his next card,  
>"I'll play a little defense of my own with Clayman!" the stone golem reappeared (DEF: 2000), "And with that, I end my turn!"<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Monster Reborn. This lets me summon a monster from the graveyard. I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge," the small ice warrior appeared (ATK: 800), "Now I activate Polymerization! By fusing together Elemental Hero Ice Edge and Woodsman, I can summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero from my fusion-deck!" the two heroes combined to form the larger ice warrior (ATK: 2500), "And because of his effect, he gets 500 ATK points for every Water-Attribute monster on the field (ATK: 3000), "Now attack Bubbleman!" Absolute Zero charged in and jabbed Bubbleman, but the other water monster used its blaster to shield himself from the attack.

"Sorry, but when Bubbleman's battles a stronger monster, not only can he use Bubble Blaster to take the hit, it also cancels all battle-damage!"

"Then I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden draws his next card, "

Absolute Zero attacks Bubbleman!"

"I activate the quick-play spell card Bubble Shuffle! This switches Bubbleman and a monster you have in ATK mode to DEF mode! Then, by sacrificing Bubbleman, I can summon another Elemental Hero from my hand, like Sparkman!" Bubbleman was then replaced on the field by Sparkman (DEF: 1400).

"Then I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "There's nothing to do here so I'll end this turn for now."

"Then it's my turn," Jason dre his next card, "I switch Absolute Zero into ATK position and attack Elemental Hero Clayman."

"Then I'll activate my trap card, Clay Charge!" Jaden's Clayman then rose up to face the charging monster, "If Clayman's gonna be destroyed then he's not giving up without a fight..." both heroes reeled back their fists and then they collided in a deadlock, "because once he's targeted for an attack, then both monsters are destroyed!" they separated from each other and dropped to their knees before being destroyed, "And then we both take 800 points of damage!"

**Jaden: 700**

**Jason: 300**

"If Absolute Zero is destroyed, then all other monsters on your field are destroyed as well," Jaden's Sparkman froze solid then shattered. "I'll end my turn for now."

"Then it's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate The Warrior Returning Alive! I'm sure you noticed this spell card! It lets me add a warrior like Elemental Hero Avian from my graveyard to my hand, who I'll then summon to the field in ATK mode!" the winged hero returned to the field (ATK: 1000), "Now attack directly with Featherbreak and end this duel!" Avian flew up and launched a dozen feathers at Jason.

**Jaden: 700**

**Jason: 0**

The holograms disappeared as Jason and Jaden stood there closer into the field. Jaden looked away scratching his head, clearly disappointed, "Okay, well this wasn't what I expected, but that's a good duel, right?" he said before he started beeping. Jaden pulled aside his blazer and took his PDA out of its hip holster. Jason looked with him to see a video message. It was Chazz Princeton from the exams.

_"Hey, Slifer Slacker. Don't think you're off the hook,"_ the message said, _"Tonight, at midnight, it's on. Oh, and why don't we make it interesting. Whoever wins, gets the other guy's best card!"_

"Cool! I guess I'll get to duel at that arena after all." Jaden smiled as he ran back to his room, leaving Jason outside.

Jason went back to his room sitting on his bed. He thought about the duel he just had with Jaden Yuki. He won but he didn't look too happy about it. He only changed his attitude when he got sent this so-called challenge, like he was expecting something from that other black-haired student that Jason himself didn't manage to give him. Was he expecting a bit more excitement from this card game? Once again he wondered why this game was such a big deal as to create a boarding school on an island he's standing on now. He wonders what he's missing. Maybe he could find it in that match going on at midnight.

* * *

><p>He remembered passing a sign to the auditorium last time he was here to see the vice-chancellor. So it took him a while to actually get there and see it again. Someone must be in there because he could see the lights seeping through the double doors. When he opened them, he was standing at the edge of a large, domed stadium, with bleachers all the way around it, centering around a stage in the center. He walked in and looked around. It's clearly made for duels so he's at the right place.<p>

"Hey! What are you doing here?!" Jason looked up towards the arena and found three boys in blue blazers standing on it, one of them being the guy who called Jaden out earlier.

"I'm here for a duel!" Jason simply said.

"You're kidding!" the one in glasses said, "We ain't got time for some slacker!"

"Wait!" the black-haired student called out, "I know you. You're that guy who's with that other Slifer, the one who had to duel Anais, right?" he didn't wait for an answer and smirked, "Hey, why don't you get up here! You are here for a duel, aren't you?"

"Yeah..." Jason went and climbed up onto the arena where he and Chazz stood on opposite ends.

"Y'know, believe it or not I've been looking for you. It's not every day one of Duel Academy's best of faculty. But then again, you did get lucky. Let's put that theory to the test..." Right before he could turn on his duel-disk...

"Hey, looks like someone's started without us!" Everyone turned to find Jaden and Syrus entering the arena.

"So you decided to show up..." Chazz muttered.

"You better believe it! There's no way I was gonna miss this!" Jaden said, "But you didn't tell me you already got someone else taken!"

Chazz smirked, "Well, today's your lucky day. Why wait?" he pointed to Jaden and then Jaden, "I'll take both of you on at the same time!"

"Works for me!" Jaden then climbed up to the arena and stopped next to Jason, "Hey, looks like we'll be teaming up, right?" he tapped his hand against Jason's arm.

"Uh-huh..." Jason mumbled, rubbing his arm.

"Since this is a 2-on-1 duel, let me go over a few ground rules!" Chazz explained, "I'll keep this as simply as possible: both of you get the usual 4000 points while I get twice the amount; that's 8000! Also, none of us can attack on the first turn! Any questions?"

"None here!" Jason remained quiet.

"Good. Now it's time to if two amateurs beating the academy's top faculty was a fluke, or a fact!"

"Yeah, well, we're gonna find out somethin' else, too. Like which one of the two of us is really gonna become the next King of Games!"

"Yeah, yeah, just make sure you have your best card ready to hand over when you lose."

"You, too. Now game on!" Taking this as a cue, Jason activated his duel-disk along with Jaden and Chazz. When he looked closer, he realized that the latter twos' disks are different that the one he and Jaden used earlier. Their card-playing surfaces nested partway into the side of the core of it that sat on the wrist, and is divided into two portions. The portion with the three card slots that extended from the wrist to the elbow nested, and the other two extended from the wrist end of those, a central, circular piece that lit up red when the disk was in use. The core of the duel-disk itself, as always, contained the deck slot, graveyard slot, and the life-point counter is probably on there somewhere. Where the life-point counter is on his, there's instead a big, rounded, translucent blue centerpiece. The entire design is smooth, futuristic and rounded.

**Chazz: 8000**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"All right, slacker!" Chazz drew his sixth card and looked at it, then at his other cards in his hand, "For my first move, I'll summon (6) Reborn Zombie(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1600) in DEF mode!" a hideous-looking zombie in tattered robes appeared (DEF: 1600), "And I'll also place one card face-down." a reverse card then appeared. "That should do for now."

"Okay, now it's my turn," Jason drew his sixth card, "I activate the magic card Fusion Sage. This lets me take a Polymerization magic card from my deck and add it to my hand." he picked the magic card from his deck, and then sat down to shuffle his deck.

"This again?!" the blue student with glasses groaned.

"Let me guess, can't shuffle your deck while standing up?" Chazz taunted.

Jason ignored him and stood up to continue, "Now I activate the magic card Polymerization. With this I send Elemental Heroes Ice Edge and Heat from my hand to the graveyard to special-summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero from my fusion-deck!" the two monsters combined and the warrior in white armor appeared (ATK: 2500).

"I was hoping you would do that..." Chazz sneered, leaving Jason confused, "because that card I just played face-down was a trap, slacker. That you've set off!" the reverse-card on his field rose up, "Chthonian Polymer, do your stuff!"

"What's Chthonian Polymer's... 'stuff'?" Syrus wondered.

"I had a feeling I'd find you guys here," Syrus quickly turned to see the blonde girl in the while-and-blue school uniform walk over to the sidelines next to him, not looking happy herself, "Chthonian Polymer's a nasty trap. It allows you to take control of an opponent's fusion-monster by sacrificing one of your own creatures."

"Oh no... Jason just summoned a fusion monster!"

"Now I sacrifice my monster to take control of one of yours! Red Rover, Red Rover, send that Absolute Zero right over!" Reborn Zombie spontaneously combusted in a sinister burst of light, and Absolute Zero glowed white and disappeared from Jason's side of the field onto Chazz's. Covered in a shadowy aura, Absolute Zero rose again, this time as an enemy.

"How did he know I was gonna summon a fusion-monster...?" Jason mumbled to himself.

"How did I know?!" Chazz laughed, "Apparently I know more about Elemental Heroes than you do! Using fusion is second nature! You're as predictable as its strategy!"

"Well... Well that's a special-summon. So I can still summon a monster from my hand. But I'll set a monster face-down in DEF position instead. Then, I'll place one card face-down and end my turn." two face-down cards appeared.

"Alright, my turn!" Jaden drew his sixth card, "I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in DEF mode!" the large, rocky hero knelt in front of him (DEF: 2000), "There. All set."

Chazz drew his next card, "Yeah; set up, to get knocked down! Rise, (7) Chthonian Soldier(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1400)!" a warrior in dark armor appeared, wielding a large, curved sword in hand (ATK: 1200),

"Now I activate yet another spell card Double Attack! By sending a monster card from my hand to the grave, my Chthonian Soldier can now attack twice this turn!" Chazz discarded the monster Helpomer, "And now, Absolute Zero, attack that face-down!" Absolute Zero smashed into Jason's face-down, which was revealed as Elemental Hero Woodsman, "Now it's Chthonian Soldier's turn! Attack, Double Windstorm Slash!" the soldier heaved its sword and charged at Jason, striking him with his sword.

**Chazz: 8000**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 2800**

"Now I'll enhance him with the equip-spell, Cursed Armaments! This reduces my soldier's ATK points by 600!" the soldier suited in venomous violet armor with a shield, his sword replaced (ATK: 600).

"Why would he lower his monster's points?" Jason wondered.

"Now I'll end my turn with a face-down card," a reverse-card appeared, "Care to give another try?"

"Okay, it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card A Hero Lives. While I have no monsters on my field, I can summon an Elemental Hero from my deck. So I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK position!" the merman hero arrived on the field (ATK: 1500).

**Chazz: 8000**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 1400**

"Elemental Hero Ocean, attack Cthonian Soldier!" Ocean struck down the soldier, resulting in a small explosion. Out of the cloud of smoke and debris, the cursed sword came twisting up in the air, and shot straight for Jason, striking right through.

**Chazz: 7100**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 500**

"Now you did it! When Chthonian Soldier's destroyed, you receive the same amount of damage to your life-points as I do. Difference, is, you hardly have any to spare!" Chazz said, "And that's not all; since Cursed Armament's was equipped to my soldier when it was destroyed, it moves onto a new monster as its new host!" the cursed armor then attached itself onto Elemental Hero Ocean (ATK: 900). "Are ya starting to know your place here at the Academy yet? I don't know what kind of duelist you were back at home, and frankly it doesn't matter! Because here in the big leagues, you're nothing but a pathetic little amateur, Slifer Slime!" somehow what Jason had been told had hit a nerve as he stared at the floor. He was hardly able to meet other duelist due to being the only person in town who had a deck. That was because he thought this game wasn't such a big deal, it was just some card game. When he learned that game became a spectator sport and there was a school made for such a thing, he was excited. But now, in his first day at the academy, he felt put down and humiliated. It's just like the 8th grade all over again. Those were horrible times in middle school.

"Hey, what's wrong with you!" Jason looked up to see Jaden scowling at him, "Are you breaking down just by listening to what this guy's saying? You gotta toughen up!

you want to in to the world of dueling, you can't just take the parts you like! You gotta take in the trash-talking, along with action! you gotta take the humiliation along with victory! If you wanna duel, you gotta take in the good with the bad!" Jaden words were deep. Maybe there are good points in this game like there are bad in any other. And whether he wins or loses, he want's to play the game. "So, win or lose, are you ready to play the game?"

Jason took a deep breath, "Thank you."

"Hey, don't mention it!"

"If you're quite done with this little soap opera...!" Chazz interrupted, "I'd like to take your rare cards sometime tonight!"

Jason took a card from his hand and place it in his duel-disk, "I place 1 card face-down and end my turn."

"My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I play Elemental Hero Sparkman in DEF mode!" the electric hero appeared (DEF: 1400). "Next I throw down a face-down and end my turn!"

"Play what you like. My next move will finish off your life-points!" Chazz drew his next card, "First I activate the trap card Call of the Haunted!" the face-down card lifted as a continuous-trap card, "It lets me select one monster card from my graveyard, and summon it back to the field in ATK mode. Rise, Infernal Warrior!" the warrior in black armor reappeared (ATK: 1200), "But he won't be staying on the field for long, because I'm going to sacrifice him to summon, (8) Mefist the Infernal General(ATK: 1800/DEF: 1700)!" the warrior disappeared and was replaced my a taller dark warrior wielding a large staff-axe, mounted on a fearsome-looking steed (ATK: 1800).

"Not bad." Jaden said, looking impressed.

"Not bad?" Chazz scoffed, "You're somethin' else, slacker, ya know that? Acting all confident. Too bad I can't say the same about you little friend over there! Go, Absolute Zero! Attack Elemental Hero Ocean!" Absolute Zero rushed across the field ready to pummel the merman. But before he was able to attack, the monster somehow split into two monster, Elemental heroes Ice Edge and Heat. "What just happened!? That monster should've been fish-food!"

"Before you attacked, I activated the quick-play magic card, De-Fusion!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "This separates a fusion monster into its 2 original monsters! And since it's a quick-play spell-"

"I know what a quick-play spell does!" Chazz snapped, "You must be forgetting I still have a monster on the field! Mefist, attack!" but the dark horseman remained a frozen statue before it shattered, "No!"

"And you must've forgotten about Absolute Zero's special-ability!" Jaden said, "When Zero's removed from the field, every one of your monsters are destroyed!"

"Pure luck! Just make your move!"

"Will do..." Jason drew his next card, "I activate Ocean's effect, which lets me add an Elemental Hero from my field or graveyard to my hand! I choose my Elemental Hero Woodsman! Next, I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode!" the female flame-throwing hero appeared (ATK: 1300), "And for Heat's effect, he gains 200 ATK points for each Elemental Hero monster on my field! And since there are 4, he gets 800 ATK points (ATK: 2400), "

And since you don't have any monsters on your field, my monsters can attack you directly!"

"Not while I have the Negate Attack trap card out!" Chazz's reverse-card formed a barrier that repelled Jason's monsters. "You're gonna have to do better than that, Slifer!"

"Then I place 1 card face-down and I'll end my turn, which activates Lady Heat's effect, dealing 200 points of damage to you for every Elemental Hero on my field." four small fireballs hovered around Lady Heat before they shot towards Chazz, causing explosions around him.

**Chazz: 6300**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 500**

"That was pretty good..." Chazz muttered to himself.

"Okay, my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate my Polymerization, to fuse Elemental Heroes Avian And Burstinatrix to form Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" the bird-like hero and flame-throwing heroine combined into the same monster that was used to defeat Crowler at the exams (ATK: 2100), "Next, I activate the spell Monster Reborn! With this I can bring back any monster as long as it's in the graveyard! So I'll bring back Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the decorative ornament appeared on the field. A bright light shown to bring in the new monster. But eventually... "Uh, what's going on? Where's Absolute Zero?"

"See, that's the thing..." Jason told him, "Absolute Zero can only be summoned in a fusion! Once he leaves the field, that's it!"

"Oh... Then I'll just bring back Burstinatrix!" the fiery heroine descended onto the field (ATK: 1200), "Now, Sparkman, attack with Shining Surge Flash and put a shock to his system!" Sparkman threw a series of lightning volts.

**Chazz: 4700**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 500**

"Next up, is Flame Wingman!" Flame Wingman rose to the sky and fired a streak of flame from his dragon-like arm at Chazz.

**Chazz: 2600**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 500**

"And last but not least, Burstinatrix! Attack with Burstfire!" Burstinatrix formed an orb of red fire and tossed it at Chazz causing an even bigger explosion on impact.

**Chazz: 1400**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 500**

"And that's it for my turn!" Jaden concluded.

"Well, it's about time!" Chazz drew his next card, "I summon (9) Diskblade Rider(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1500)!" a fiendish-looking, green-skinned warrior appeared sitting on a terrifying-looking motorcycle (ATK: 1700), "And it has enough ATK points to run over the rest of Slifer no.2's life-points wait 'till you see his special-ability! He gains 500 extra ATK points until the end of your next turn, just by removing a normal-rap card like Chthonian Polymer from play!" Chazz took the card from his graveyard slot and placed it into his pocket (ATK: 2200), "Now I equip his with the Sword of Deep-Seated spell card! This gives him 500 extra ATK and DEF points!" a large sword with a violet blade was now held in Diskblade's hand (ATK: 2700/DEF: 2000), "Not it has more that enough strength to take out any one of your monsters! And I think I'll use that strength on your Elemental Hero Ocean!"

"Uh, guys!" Alexis called, "We got company. Campus Security. If they find us all in here, we'll get seriously busted."

"What?!" Syrus yelped.

Jaden turned to her, nervous, "W-why? I mean, we're all students here."

"Ahem..."Alexis took a little book out of her pocket and pointed to it, "The rules say no off-hour arena duels! Chazz knows that!" she looked towards the blue-wearing student who began to blush, "But lemme guess: he didn't tell you."

One of his classmates leaned forward from the stands. "Come on, let's go!"

Chazz snorted and turned to leave, the holograms vanishing behind him, "Well, well, slackers. Looks like you lucked out, this time!"

"Whaddaya talkin' about, the match isn't over!" Jaden protested.

"Yeah it is. I've seen what I came here to see," Chazz jumped down from the arena platform and walked away with his classmates, "You're a sorry duelist. You beating Doctor Crowler was just a fluke! And your partner is way worse! He'd be the prized example of where Slifer's belong: at the bottom!"

"Guys, we gotta get outta here!" Syrus urged, "Come on, let's go!"

Jason felt a little upset because of the last thing Chazz had said, but had to step off the arena anyway, see Jaden standing miffed with his arms crossed.

* * *

><p>They managed to sneak back out to the front entrance; Syrus pushed Jaden over to Alexis, having apparently shoved him the whole way there, "You certainly are stubborn, Jaden." Alexis groaned.<p>

Jaden still looked aggravated over the duel ending early, "Only about my dueling."

"Thanks for showin' us the back way out!" Syrus thanked Alexis.

"Sure. I'm sorry that you didn't get to finish your match with Chazz."

"It's okay. I know just how it would've ended anyway." Jaden said, smug.

"Wait..." Jason spoke up, "Did you mean you knew what my face-down card was?"

"Hm, what?" Jaden wondered, confused, then realized what Jason was talking about, "Say, you had a face-down too, right? What was it?"

"Really. No offense, but, from my point of view, it could've gone either way between you and Chazz when you guys stopped. " Alexis said cynically.

"No way; not after I threw this down!" Jaden showed everyone the card he had laid face-down. Jason squinted his eyes to look at a picture of a series of mirrors. He head Alexis gasp a bit and figured out that Jaden would've won. Jaden nodded slightly; he knew he would've won. But what does this card do? "See ya." he smiled as he and Syrus ran back to the red dorm, with Jason unconsciously following.

* * *

><p>Jason made it back to his room without waking up his roommate, and sat on the bottom bunk. He looked at the card he had laid face-down when he was dueling. It looked like some kind of short, pudgy man in makeup floating around. Someone told him it was based off of some japanese spirit that caused trouble or pull pranks or something. He already forgotten its name; it was too hard to pronounce. He knew if Chazz had attacked, he would have had won the duel. He felt proud of himself. But there was still his matter in staying in the academy...<p>

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Elemental Hero Clayman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior] LV: 3 (ATK: 800/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**(2) Elemental Hero Sparkman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1400)**

**Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>

**(3) Elemental Hero Bubbleman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: WATER  
><strong>

******Effect: If this is the only card in your hand, you can Special Summon it. When this card is Summoned, if you control no other cards, you can draw 2 cards.******

**(4) Elemental Hero Heat  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

******Effect: This card gains 200 ATK for each face-up "Elemental HERO" monster you control.  
><strong>****

**(5) Elemental Hero Woodsman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

************Effect: Once per turn, during your Standby Phase: You can add 1 "Polymerization" from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand.  
><strong>**********

**(6) Reborn Zombie  
><strong>

**Stats: [Zombie/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1600)**

**************Attribute: DARK  
><strong>************

**************Effect: While you have no cards in your hand and this card is in Attack Position, it cannot be destroyed by battle.**************

**(7) Chthonian Soldier  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1400)**

**************Attribute: DARK  
><strong>************

****************************Effect: When this card is destroyed by an opponent's attacking monster and sent to the Graveyard, the Battle Damage you took from this battle is also inflicted to your opponent.  
><strong>**************************

**(8) Mefist the Infernal General  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1700)**

**************Attribute: DARK  
><strong>************

****************************Effect: When this card attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of your opponent's Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points, discard 1 card randomly from your opponent's hand.  
><strong>**************************

**(9) Diskblade Rider  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1500)**

**************Attribute: WIND  
><strong>************

********************************************************Effect: Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 Normal Trap Card from your Graveyard. This card gains 500 ATK until the End Phase of your opponent's turn.********************************************************

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA<strong>

**"Hey, Duelists! Did you know..."**

**"Mefist's Japanese name, 'Hell General-Mephisto', is named after Mephistopheles, a demon to whom Faustus sold his soul in the play The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe."**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	3. Red vs Blue

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>Before we begin, I'd like to bring you this character sheet for the OCs you might submit. Just remember to send them via review or PM, the only catch is that you must have a fanfiction account so that you may take credit.<p>

Name:

Age:

Gender:

Appearance:

Personality:

History: (and/or reasons for coming to Duel Academy)

Dorm: (Remember, no females in Slifer Red or Ra Yellow)

Deck: (no 5D's/Zexal exclusive cards/if any original decks please try not to make them too powerful)

Quirks: (meaning flaws or strange behavior/optional)

Likes:

Dislikes:

Duel Spirit: (would play an important role in Spirit Caller/optional)

* * *

><p>An annoying buzzing sound woke Jason up from his sleep. He felt for the alarm clock he set up until he had to yank it out of the outlet to turn that noise off. Jason sat up, still groggy and with not enough sleep thanks to that duel last night. He looked at his PDA for the time. 5:00 is early for a guy like Jason. But he'll be busy this morning so he had better get ready.<p>

* * *

><p><em>After an hour of still not finding his tuition check, he had to go back to the main building and to the principal's office. Waiting for him and sitting behind his desk was the old, bald guy from the video, with Crowler and Anais beside his desk.<em>

_"Now I understand that your tuition check somehow 'disappeared' even though you say you turned it in?"_

_"Yes, sir..." Jason answered._

_"See? He admits it!" Crowler told the principal, "Now, it's quite obvious that he forgot to bring his check with him. It's no big deal, we just have to call in a boat to take him back to the mainlands."_

_"Yes, I would agree with you, Doctor Crowler. However..." the principal turned around on his chair and looked out at the large window in front of him, "As Anais so charged, the incoming students were made to show their means of tuition to teachers who accompanied them on their trip towards here; they had to do the same thing before they disembarked."_

_"And I was there among the students who were to collect the tuition behind the door when they entered the main building today," Anais said, "He may have lost it somewhere on the island "And if it hasn't turned up by now it's likely someone had found it, probably one of the students."_

_The principal turned his chair back and gave Jason a stern look, "So, what do you suggest we do about this little situation, Mr. Hutchins."_

_"Well, I thought about it," Jason replied, "What if I work for the money?"_

_The principal raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry?"_

_"I could help around the school and clean up and fix the yards and stuff."_

_"Absolutely not!" Crowler screeched, "Now only is child labor is illegal-"_

_"I suggest we take up on his offer," Anais interrupted, "I did ask the superintendent and he agreed to let a couple of students volunteer for the year. If this student wants to give it a try, then this should be the perfect opportunity to try the volunteer work course."_

_"Of course," the principal nodded before turning back to Jason, "I guess I'll accept your decision. But there are certain guidelines to go over..."_

* * *

><p>Jason heard a knock on the door and answered it, seeing Anais looking at him; and it was still a bit dark out. "I take it you got a good night's sleep?"<p>

Jason yawned, "Yes, ma'am."

"Then you should take these," Anais gave him a burlap sack and a clipboard, "This is the mail that's to go out to the students and faculty of the academy. And here's the clipboard of all the personnel. I want you to arrange them according to dorms and facilities. After that, take them to their respective dorms and put them in their mailboxes. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good. This collection is small compared to what you'll usually see. So you should be done by 10 AM. I expect it to be done by then. So I'll leave you to it." she then turned away, leaving Jason with the sack. He pulled the string and dumped out the contents. 'There's a lot of mail here. Just how many student's are there on this island?' Jason sighed, 'This is going to be a long morning...' he then sat down on the floor to sort the mail.

* * *

><p>After two hours of organizing the mail he was making his way down the path towards the yellow dorm until eventually, he found it. The Ra Yellow dorm looked bigger that the red dorm and looked something like the library he went to back at home. As he went to the entrance he could see the main building from there. When he entered he found a metal-tiled wall along the sides of the main hall down to the intersection. Looking closer he saw that they were compartments and that they were opened. Those must me the mailboxes Anais was talking about. The looked like something the apartment building he was staying with his uncle in had. Now that he knew where the mail boxes were he searched the sack he was carrying for the Ra Yellow mail.<p>

* * *

><p>After Jason put the mail where it belonged he made his way to his next decided destination. When he got there he saw he was waling towards a large, white castle, or at least that's what it looks like. This was the Obelisk Blue dorm, due to the blue cones and roofs on top of the building. But as he approached he saw three students in blue garbs walking towards him. His heart suddenly sank when he recognized them as the Obelisk Blue students from last night. Maybe if he turned his face away from them they won't recognize them.<p>

"Hey! Whaddaya think you're doing here?!" one of them yelled at him. Jason ignored him as he walked passed them.

"Hello! We're talking to you!" Jason still ignored them as he kept walking to the entrance. But before he could open the door he was yanked away. He dropped his sack as he was being held by his arms and dragged back outside to face one of their own.

"I guess you mom didn't teach you to respect you superiors..." Chazz's sneer dropped when he took a closer look at him, "Wait, you're one of those punks from the arena last night! Well, you got five seconds to tell me what you're doing on Obelisk territory!"

"Look, I don't want any trouble," Jason replied, trying to remain calm, "I'm just here to deliver some mail to the Obelisk Blue dorm."

"Whoever said we need some Slifer touching our mail, huh?" Chazz threatened.

"I'm just doing what Ms. Anais told me, that's all!"

"Well, it doesn't matter if King Tut's making you do it! Anybody trespasses on Obelisk property, they're gonna pay the price!" Chazz pulled on Jason's collar and reeled in his fist...

"What's going on here?!" Jason heard forth voice called out over him, and found Crowler looking out an open window until he found Jason with the three Obelisk students, "Oh! Already the first day of school and three of my students are making a new friend! Well then, carry on!" Jason thought he saw Crowler sneering as he went back inside. When he looked back down, he saw a balled-up fist rushing straight towards him...

* * *

><p>It took Jason no time to continue on his path to delivering mail; not because it took no time giving the Obelisk boys their mail (one of them managed to take it themselves while he was out cold; no one even bothered to check up on him before he woke up); he somehow found himself carrying the reminding mail in his arms after finding the sack he was carrying them in with a large hole ripped on it. This made his job a lot harder, especially when he just dropped his mail for the fifth time. He was lucky he decided to walk alongside the lake and not manage to drop any in there. But it's getting real tiresome having to pick them up all over again.<p>

"Excuse me, do you need any help?" Jason looked up to see a girl in a Obelisk Blue uniform crouched down to his level. She had tanned skin with a head of dark-silver hair styled in an arching ponytail. She also wore a necklace, a pair of bracelets and anklets, all made from heavy chain-links.

Jason stood looking at the kind face the girl gave him, "Uh... Yeah, sure." he replied and let her help pick up the mail. When she picked up her share and looked up at him, she saw something Jason didn't want her to see...

"What happened to her face?!" she gasped. Jason was afraid some one was going to see the black eye Chazz gave him. He thought lowering his giant back over it will keep it hidden. "I think you should go to the nurse about this. C'mon, I'll take you." the girl then dragged Jason down the dirt road.

* * *

><p>The place she took him to was another white building with stilts standing in the lake, which happened to be the Obelisk dorm for girls. And as it turned out, the teacher in charge there happened to be the school nurse.<p>

When they went to her office she fixed up his wound, dressing ointment lightly over his eye before giving him an icepack. When she asked him what happened, Jason told her what happened at the other Obelisks' dorm.

"Well, I'm sorry that happened to you," the nurse apologized, "I'll make sure their headmaster knows about this. Why don't you go on to class?" Jason nodded and was lead out of the girl's dorm.

* * *

><p>Jason walked all the way to the main building with the girl he met leading the way. It was pretty awkward at the time because they had nothing to talk about, until they stopped at the classroom door. "By the way, I never got you name..."<p>

"Jason..." he answered, "Jason Hutchins."

"Well my name is Chakra. Chakra Silvers," the girl smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Jason Hutchins." they entered into the giant room where class is already in progress.

But the teacher happened to be the last person he would want to be in the same room with, "My goodness, Ms. Silvers! Where have you been?!" Crowler gasped, "I've called for you ten times! I was starting to worry!"

"Sorry for the lateness, Doctor Crowler," Chakra called as she walked down the stairs, "I've just been held up is all."

"Oh? Well, that's quite understandable," Crowler said and sneered as he glared at Jason, "I assume that's the lost little lamb you've been helping out," Jason could hear people laughing at him as he went to sit in one of the seats a the edge near the top. But as soon as he was about to take a seat he was kicked off by one of the student and fell back to the stairs, making everyone else laugh harder.

"What gives...?" Jason groaned.

"Why don't you look around?" Chazz, the guy who just pushed him, said, "Slifer's sit neat the bottom! I guess you're colorblind otherwise you can see that!" Jason sighed in exasperation as we walked down past the laughing students to find a seat...

* * *

><p>After a long day of classes, Jason decided to calm his nerve by visiting something scenic, which happened to be the lake near the two Obelisks dorms. He made sure he wasn't too close to either. As he sat on his Slifer Red jacket and watched the sparkling, clear water, he couldn't help but think back to everything that happened to him so far since he came here. And since it was only a day and a half, it was his second duel that attracted his nerves the most. That one he had against Chazz was tough. And like any other bully he found Jason the easiest to pick on. He pulled out his deck and looked over his cards as he heard the Obelisk's jeers repeat in his head. Is this how all Slifer Reds are treated? Do all Obelisks look down on them like some high-school stereotypes...?<p>

If that's the case, then he won't have it. So he'd better improve his game. So he stood up and removed his duel-disk and strapped it on, activated it and drew his hand. "Alright... I activate Polymerization!" Jason played his spell card to combine the Elemental Heroes Ice Edge and Knopse to form Absolute Zero. The water in which the white-armored warrior landed on froze mid-splash, forming large slabs of ice that each point away from the frigid hero.

"Wow! That was amazing!" Jason spun around and spotted a girl with short black hair tied with a small ponytail. She held her hands with a dazzled look in her eyes.

He felt embarrassed that someone was there watching him, "You really think so...?"

"What kind of monster is that?" she asked.

"And Elemental Hero. He's called Absolute Zero."

"Elemental Hero?" the girl gasped, "Then you're that guy Alexis talked about!"

"Alexis?" Jason wondered, not realizing it was the same blonde girl from last night. "She know who I am?"

"She talked about how you beaten Crowler at that entrance exam! And he was supposed to be one of the top faculty duelists in the academy!" she pulled out her academy duel-disk, "I've been meaning to find you; so you and I can duel."

Jason found this as an opportunity to clear his thoughts of his worries, so he agreed. "Okay, sure."

With that, the Obelisk Blue student activated her duel-disk and inserted her deck, "And by the way, my name's Mindy!"

"My name's Jason."

**Jason: 4000**

**Mindy: 4000**

"Okay, let's get started," Mindy looked into the first card she drawn, "I summon (1) Familiar Knight(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1400) in DEF mode!" a grey-armored warrior with a red cape appeared wit a sword and large shield (DEF: 1400), "Then I place 1 card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared behind the knight.

"Alright, my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the male fire-based warrior appeared (ATK: 1600-1800), "Attack Familiar Knight!" Heat smashed his fist into the knight and destroyed it.

"You just triggered Familiar Knight's special-ability! Now we both can summon a level-4 monster from our hand! The monster I chose to summon is (2) Big Shield Gardna(4/ATK: 100/DEF: 2600)!" a wild-haired man appeared in the knight's place, hiding behind a large purple shield (DEF: 2600).

"And the monster I summon will be Elemental Hero Ocean!" the merman hero appeared beside Heat (ATK: 1500), "And with another Elemental Hero on the field, Heat gains 200 more ATK points (ATK: 2000)!"

"Now I activate the trap card Call of the Haunted!" Mindy revealed her reverse-card, "This lets me bring my Familiar Knight back from the graveyard!" the grey-armored warrior returned.

"Then Ocean can attack Familiar Knight!" Ocean struck down the knight.

**Jason: 4000**

**Mindy: 3700**

"That activates Familiar Knight's special-ability again! So I summon Celtic Guardian!" a elvin warrior in green armor appeared (ATK: 1400)

"And I summon Elemental Hero Knospe!" the small plant hero appeared (ATK: 600), "And while another Elemental Hero is on the field, Knospe can be protected by my other monsters, and attack you directly!" Knospe fired its seeds at Mindy.

**Jason: 4000**

**Mindy: 3100**

"And when Knospe inflicts damage, his ATK poins increase by 100 while he loses 100 DEF (ATK: 700/DEF: 900). That ends my turn."

"I draw!" Mindy drew her next card, "I sacrifice my two warriors to summon (3)Gilford the Lightning (7/ATK: 2800/DEF: 1400)!" the two monsters vanished and was replaced by a muscular warrior wearing silver patches of armor complete with a helmet and red cape (ATK: 2800), "This monster's strong enough to stop any monster on your field! And I'll use it to destroy your Elemental Hero Heat!" Gilford reached back for his giant sword and use it to cut Heat down. The force of the attack passed through Jason and made the water behind him part.

**Jason: 3200**

**Mindy: 3100**

"Now I place a card face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Elemental Hero Ocean's effect which lets me return an Elemental Hero monster from my graveyard to my hand, so I'll add Heat back into my hand," he retrieved his monster from his graveyard slot, "Now I activate Polymerization to send Elemental Hero Ocean from my field to the graveyard with the Elemental Hero Woodsman from my hand, so I can summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" a white mist surrounded Jason's field as the white-armored hero rose from it (ATK: 2500), "Next I summon Elemental Heat back to the field!" the fire hero returned (ATK: 1600-2200), "Absolute Zero, attack Gilford the Lightning!"

"But your monster is weaker than mine! It'll be destroyed!" Mindy said as Gilford struck down on Absolute Zero.

**Jason: 2900**

**Mindy: 3100**

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 2000)

"I know my monster will be destroyed. Because when it's removed from the field, all monsters on your field are destroyed!"

"What?!" Mindy gasped as Gilford froze solid and then shattered.

"Now Elemental Heroes Heat and Knospe will attack you directly!" Heat combined his fire with Knospe's firing seeds.

**Jason: 2900**

**Mindy: 400**

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 800/DEF: 800)

"Now I end my turn."

"It's my turn now!" Mindy drew her next card, "

I activate the spell Monster Reborn to bring back my Gilford the Lightning!" the mighty warrior returned (ATK: 2800), "Next I activate my face-down trap card, Last Turn!" when her reverse-card opened, the wind picked up around them, creating a whirlwind around the field.

"What's going on...?" Jason wondered as he looked around and found his monsters pulled in.

"When I have less than 1000 life-points, I can activte this card and pick one of my monsters on the field," Mindy explained, "Then after sending all other cards to the graveyard, you can pick out a monster from your deck to summon to the field to battle with my monster! The duelist whose monster remains on the field with the duel, no matter how many life-points we have! No go ahead and pick a monster!"

Jason looked through his cards and deadpanned. There was no monster there that's stronger than Gilford. But then he stopped at a certain monster. Remembering its effect, he found his answer and played it, "I summon (4) Phantom Magician(3/ATK: 600/DEF: 700)!" a monster with a skeleton-like body drapped over a tattered, crimson cape appeared (ATK: 700)

After a short battle, Gilford effortlessly smashed the magician in pieces with his sword. "I guess I win!" Mindy cheered.

"I activate Phantom Magician's effect," Jason said, "When it's destroyed in battle, I can summon a Hero monster with 1000 or less ATK points in DEF mode! And I choose Elemental Hero Ice Edge." the small ice warrior took Phantom Magician's place (ATK: 700). Soon the hurricane died down and the holograms disappeared.

"Wow. This never happened before..." Mindy said, surprised. "Normally there's only one monster left after battle in Last Turn."

"You said the duelist whose monster remained wind the duel, right?" Jason guessed, "But if we both have a monster out, doesn't that make it a draw?"

"That makes sense!" Mindy replied before smiling, "I can see why Alexis is keeping an eye on you!"

Suddenly there was a rock that flew and hit Jason in the arm. He yelped and found Chazz and the other Obelisks from this morning, the former tossing a rock in his hand. I almost didn't recognize you without that stupid jacket on. I thought I told you to stay out!" he tossed another rock that hit Jason's shoulder.

"What are you doing?!" Jason shouted at him as he held his shoulder.

"You still don't get it yet, do you?" Chazz snapped as he picked up another rock, "This is Obelisk territory! And since you're obviously too dimwitted to figure it out yet, that means 'No, Slifers, Allowed!"

Jason shut his eyes as Chazz threw another rock at him. When the impact never came, he opened him and found the girl he met this morning standing near him, holding a long chain-link rope in her hands with stone fragments in the sand close to her. "I'd like to know what's going on here!" Chakra demanded with a stern look.

"I'm just doing a little pest control!" Chazz scoffed. "What? You got a thing for this little rat?"

"Maybe you should go back to your dorm before I tell faculty that you're assaulting a fellow student!" Chakra threatened as she tightened the grip on her chain, "So what's it going to be?"

After a few moments Chazz huffed, "This is getting ridiculous! I'm outta here!" the Obelisk stormed off with the other two.

"I guess that managed to drive them off," Mindy stated, as she watched the whole thing. "Are you okay?"

When Mindy held Jason's arm to check on it, he suddenly felt uncomfortable, not used to having a girl make physical contact with him, "I'm fine..." he said as he gently pulled his arm away.

"I think you dropped this," Chakra gave Jason's academy jacket to him. Jason dusted the sand off of it and put it on.

"Wait a minute, you're a Slifer Red?" Mindy asked.

"Yes..." Jason answered, still nervous. "Why? Is that a problem?"

"Oh, no problem. I didn't think you could hold your own so well. I thought all Slifers were just a bunch of weak duelists," Jason spirits dampened as he took offense to that comment. "I guess you're one of the lucky ones. That was a great duel, though. Later!" Mindy walked off to her dormitory.

"Do all Blues think that little of Reds?" Jason muttered to himself, not knowing that Chakra was listening.

"I don't think Mindy meant it like that," she said, "she gave you a compliment, so that counts, right?"

After being surprised that she heard him, Jason replied. "I guess so."

"Anyway, you should be going back to your own dorm if you don't want any more trouble."

"I think I should, too," Jason walked off to the other direction before stopping, "Thanks for helping me out back there."

Chakra smiled, "Don't mention it. I'm just helping out a fellow student."

* * *

><p>After a long day of schoolwork he was relieved he could lie down on a bed. He thought back to that girl he dueled a while ago. He couldn't believe he was mistaken for his next-door neighbor. Maybe it was his fault for not speaking out when she thought he was the one against Crowler at the entrance exams. He yawned as felt tired and soon fell asleep.

He fell from the top bunk when his PDA went ringing. After shaking off the stars and checked his PDA to find a recent message send to him. Jason opened it and it reads:

'Meet me at the lake between the two Blue dorms. Bring your duel-disk.'

This message was signed by Chakra. What could she possible want? He decided to find out and go to the lake...

* * *

><p>When he made it to his destination there was no one around. But he spotted a note attached to a small wooden boat. It was a bit dark to read the note but it said to 'row across the lake to find the truth'. What truth? He was curious to find out so he pushed the boat onto the lake and hopped aboard. It was his first time rowing on a boat but he was a quick learner. He still wondered why Chakra would want to meet him around here with his cards...<p>

Suddenly he heard the sound of a motor roaring as a speedboat came racing towards him. When it passed Jason's boat it was being yanked by a hook attached to a rope, pulling it across the lake a for a minute until it stopped at the center.

"What took you so long, Slifer?" Jason stood up and saw Chazz on the back of the boat with his two accomplices. "I'm guessing you were expecting Chakra, right?"

"How did you know?" Jason demanded which was replied from a laugh from his two partners.

"Cause we're the ones who sent that message!" the one in glasses answered.

"We figured you couldn't resist seeing her again," the one with brown hair added, "It's the perfect bait to call you out here!"

"And in case you still haven't figured it out yet..." Chazz said as he strapped on his duel-disk, "I wanna finish what we started back in Obelisk Arena! And this time, you won't get off so easily!"

"But why here? And why now?" Jason asked.

"You'll find out in a minute! Now get out your deck and let's duel!" Jason thought he wouldn't have to worry about Chazz Princeton at least for a while, but it looked like he didn't want to let Jason off easily. So he equipped his duel-disk and placed his deck inside. "Just like last time, loser give up their rarest card! Now let's go!"

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Superiority rules here, so I'll go first!" Chazz declared as he drew his first card, "And I'll start by playing (5) Mine Golem(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1900) in DEF mode!" a single-eyed figure completely made of stone appeared over the water, knelt down with its arms crossed (DEF: 1900), "Then I place two card face-down," two reverse-cards appeared, "Try to get pass this, Slifer."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place 1 monster face-down in DEF mode," a reversed monster appeared, "I'll end my turn there."

"Scared already, huh?" Chazz drew his next card, "Well this next card will have you shaking in your boots! But first, I activate the continuous-trap card, Ultimate Offering!" one of Chazz's reverse-cards opened, "So from now on, I can summon a extra monster out to the field for a small price of 500 life-points! So now I pay 1000..."

**Chazz: 3000**

**Jason: 4000**

"And summon out two more Mine Golems, this time in ATK mode! As well as one (6) Flame Ruler(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600)!" two more Golems appeared (ATK: 1000), along with a blue-haired man wearing a red overcoat (ATK: 1500), "Next I switch my first golem to ATK as well, and equip him with the Chthonian Alliance spell card! You know how they say there's strength in numbers? This card really lives up to its name as it boosts the ATK of one of my monster by 800 for each copy on the field with it!"

Dummy Golem (ATK: 1000-2600)

"Now let's see what that Slifer's hiding! Mine Golem, attack that face-down card!" Mine Golem fired a laser beam from its single eye and cut Jason's card in two, revealing it as Phantom Magician before being destroyed.

"Phantom Magician's effect activates!" Jason said, "Now I can summon an Elemental Hero from my deck with 1000 ATK points in DEF position! I choose Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-limbed warrior appeared (DEF: 2000). He took out his deck to shuffle it when the boat suddenly yanked against him, causing him to fall inside. The boat stopped and Jason saw his cards scattered all over.

"Oops! I must've stepped on the accelerator by mistake!" the Obelisk wearing glasses laughed with the others. Jason tried to get up but tripped as the boat was being pulled again before stopping. The Obelisks laughed even harder. "I'd better watch my step; how clumsy of me!"

"Cut it out!" Jason shouted.

"How about you try shuffling your deck like a human being instead of a monkey, and let's get on with the duel!" Chazz suggested. Jason got up and picked up his scattered cards, "Now, since you're lucky enough to put out some decent defense, I'll just end my turn for now."

"It's my turn now," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode," the flame-fisted hero appeared, "And his ATK points increase by 200 for each Elemental Hero including himself (ATK: 1600-2000). Attack one of his weaker golems!" Heat smashed one of his fist into one of the golems.

**Chazz: 2000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Now you really done it!" Chazz smirked, "When a Mine Golem's destroyed in battle, you take 500 points of damage!"

Jason cringed under a brief red aura.

**Chazz: 2000**

**Jason: 3500**

"But your monster still loses ATK points!" Jason said, "Now that you have only two golems on th field, it loses 800 ATK points!"

Mine Golem: (ATK: 2600-1800)

"And that makes it weaker than mine! I'll end my turn with 1 card face-down!" a reverse-card appeared.

"And I'll make mine one you won't forget!" Chazz drew his next card, "I activate my face-down, the trap card Minefield Eruption! For each Mine Golem on my field that's about to be destroyed, guess who gets 1000 points of damage... YOU!" both golems exploded and forced the wooden boat back, making it hard for Jason to maintain his balance standing.

**Chazz: 2000**

**Jason: 1500**

"If you think that's painful, wait until you see Flame Ruler's special-ability!" Flame Ruler swung his arms and was surrounded by a twister made of fire, which grew in massive size, "You see, he counts as two monsters when he's sacrificed! And this next monster will be one to really turn up the heat!" the flames dispersed to reveal a very large monster. It bored massive muscles and had red skin with horns on its head. It's basically a giant red demon. Jason dropped to his seat on the boat as he watched the giant stare at him with its three crimson eyes (ATK: 3500), "Yeah, that's the same look of fear everyone else had when they go up against my (7) Ultimate Obedient Fiend(10/ATK: 3500/DEF: 3000)! The only downside of having this mighty beast is that I can't have it attack unless it's the only card I have out; that includes no cards in my hand either. But all that's about to change! I equip my fiend with the Axe of Fools spell card!" a giant silver axe with a goldenface medallion in the middle appeared in the field's right hand (ATK: 3500-4500), "Not only does it boosts my monster's ATK power by 1000, it also negates any and all special-abilities it happens to have! Now that his special-ability's no longer an issue, my Ultimate Obedient Fiend is free to attack! The bigger they are, the HARDER THEY HIT!"

The giant axe was brought down on Elemental Hero Heat and crashed into the lake. Jason had to duck into the boat as a large tidal wave barely missed him and pushed the boat farther across the lake. When everything calmed down he stood back us and Chazz's boat caught up to him.

**Chazz: 2000**

**Jason: 3500**

"You duel-disk's obviously broken," Chazz scoffed, "My last attack just brought you life-points straight to zero!"

"When you attacked I activated Enchanted Javelin," Jason revealed his trap card, "This increases my life-points by your monsters ATK points before I took and damage. So I still have some life-points left."

"you're just delaying your own defeat! I'll end my turn, but you'll go down soon enough; and your rarest card will be with me where it belongs."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card and looked at it. "This could work..."

"Stop stalling and make your last move!" Chazz barked.

"I activate the magic card Polymerization! By sending Elemental Hero Heat and Elemental Hero Woodsman from my field to the graveyard, I can special-summon (8) Elemental Hero Gaia(6/ATK: 2200/DEF: 2600) from my fusion-deck!" Heat and Gaia were sucked into the green/orange portal before an even bigger warrior came out of it. He was covered over a suit of earthly-black armor embedded with small red gems. His wrist were mounted with giant gauntlets (ATK: 2200), "Now I activate my new monster's effect: as soon as he's summoned, I can select a monster on my field and then cut its ATK points in half!" Gaia slammed his fists into the water, which sent shards of rock out from under the fiend and damaging it.

Ultimate Obedient Fiend: (ATK: 2250)

"Fat good of luck that'll do ya'," Chazz laughed, "You went through all that trouble of lowering my monster's ATK points and yours is still 50 points short of being of any threat to my Obedient Fiend!"

"I'm not done yet! Not only does Gaia halves a monster's ATK points, it can increase its own ATK points by the same amount!"

"Wait! Would you mind repeating that?!" Chazz gasped.

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 4450)

"Elemental Hero Gaia, attack the Ultimate Obedient Fiend!" Gaia bounded up towards the giant and smashed his fists against it. The force they made formed the biggest tide so far. Soon his boat washed back up to shore.

**Chazz: 0**

**Jason: 3500**

Jason looked towards the source of the light and found he was near the Obelisk girl's dorm, "All of those tides must have lead us to the other side of the lake. I better get back." he got out of the boat and prepared to leave.

"You're not going anywhere!" Chazz jump out of the speedboat as soon as it reached shore with his two allies following, "You're gonna give me those cards, NOW!"

"I won the duel so I don't owe you anything," Jason said, "The loser has to forfeit their rarest card, that's what we agreed on!"

"Exactly! You're always gonna be a loser! So whatever cards you have are mine now! Boys, get 'im!" the two other Obelisks past by him ready to grab Jason.

"What's going on here?!" the Obelisk headmistress appeared and caught the boys, "What are you boys doing here, this late at night!"

"Ms. Fontaine! We just caught this Slifer sneaking around at the girl's territory!" Chazz lied, the other two Obelisks replied in agreement.

"No! That's not true!" Jason protested, "I was called to the lake by someone and found these guys here instead! I got the message right here!" he went over and gave Fontaine his PDA.

"Oh, please! You probably made that yourself as an excuse to come here!"

"That's unlikely, Chazz, considering this message was sent into Jason's Inbox with another student's number," Fontaine scowled as she read over the message, "Each student here is identified with a serial number, in case you haven't read the instructions. But regardless, that doesn't excuse any of you for breaking curfew, especially this late," the headmistress returned the PDA, "Now I want you to return to your dorm. I'll let your headmasters know about this and we'll deal with it in the morning."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." Jason quickly replied and ran off to his dorm before he could get caught in anything else.

* * *

><p>The moment he went back into his room he almost hit his head on one of the headboards when he stumbled into his bed. A few moments later he closed his eyes. It was a very taxing day for him and he just wanted some sleep...<p>

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Familiar Knight  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1400)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

****Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Each player can Special Summon 1 Level 4 monster from their hand.  
><strong>**

**(2) Big Shield Gardna  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 100/DEF: 2600)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

****Effect: During either player's turn, when this face-down card (and no other cards) is targeted by a Spell Card: Change this card to face-up Defense Position, and if you do, negate the Spell Card's activation. If this card is attacked, change it to Attack Position at the end of the Damage Step.  
><strong>**

**(3) Gilford the Lightning  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 1400)**

**Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>

****Effect: You can Tribute 3 monsters to Tribute Summon (but not Set) this card. If you do: Destroy all monsters your opponent controls.  
><strong>**

**(4) Phantom Magician  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 600/DEF: 700)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

****Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 "HERO" monster with 1000 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Defense Position.  
><strong>**

**(5) Mine Golem  
><strong>

**Stats: [Rock/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1900)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

****Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.  
><strong>**

**(6) Flame Ruler  
><strong>

**Stats: [Pyro/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

****Effect: This card can be treated as 2 Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a FIRE monster  
><strong>**

**(7) Ultimate Obedient Fiend  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 10 (ATK: 3500/DEF: 3000)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

****Effect: This card can only attack if this card is the only card on your side of the field and if you also have no cards in your hand. Negate the effects of Effect Monsters destroyed by this card.  
><strong>**

**(8) Elemental Hero Gaia  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 2600)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

****Effect: 1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 EARTH monster  
>Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card is Fusion Summoned: Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; until the End Phase, its ATK is halved and this card gains the same amount of ATK.<strong>**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON TRIVIA<strong>

**"Hey, Duelists! Did you know..."**

**"The Ultimate Obedient Fiend resembles the stereotypical classic depiction of Satan that is commonly seen in cartoons, artwork, or other works of fiction."**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>**


	4. Test Day

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>The first week at Duel Academy came and went. And like then he received the mail he's to deliver. Anais was true to her word, there were a lot more than he was given last time. After a long time of sorting them out he went out onto his route. Nothing went out of the ordinary until he made his way from the Ra dorm, where he heard a loud thud. Curious, he went further into the main dirt road to find a small van sitting there with a plump, middle-aged woman near it.<p>

"Excuse me, miss, are you alright?" he asked as he approached.

"Oh! That was quick!" she replied, surprised, "Are you from the Auto Club?"

"Auto Club?" he repeated, confused, "I'm just delivering the mail when I heard your car. Is it broken?"

"Well, my van did decide to break down on me. I called the Auto Club a few moments ago, but who knows when they'll come."

"Well then, where are you heading? I'll help you push there until the Auto Club come around."

The lady brightened, "Oh, could you? That's very kind; thank you!"

Since then, Jason helped the lady across the road, until they reached a rising slope where it became more difficult pushing the van against it. A cloud of dust suddenly kicked up over them. Jason coughed trying to keep the dust out of his lungs.

"Never fear, Jaden's here!" the Slifer Red student announced, coming by to help push the van. "Hey, nice to see ya'!"

"Oh, thank you!" the lady groaned, "You must be from the auto club!"

"Don't let the red jacket fool you; I'm just your average good deed dude!" In saying this, he accidentally let go of the van, putting the weight back on Jason.

"Isn't that nice!"

"What would be 'nice' is if I pushed!" he met Jason at the back, "Hey, nice to see you again."

"Huh? Thank you!"

"Hey, it's my pleasure; now I can skip the gym!" Jaden laughed.

"You're such a sweet boy!" she grunted, "I'll remember this."

"How 'bout next time you just remember that extended warranty!" Jaden's help continued until they reached the end of the slope, where he bid farewell and ran off to class. Pretty soon they reached their destination.

"Thank you again, mister. Wait one moment..." she returned from her van to hand out a small foil packet, "A small token for your help."

"Thank you. I'm glad I can help," after receiving his gift he continued on his mail route.

* * *

><p>After finally delivering the mail he went straight on to the lecture hall, where his dorm's headmaster, Mr. Lyman Banner was waiting for him. As they were told last week the school have a test that's paired with a field-test duel. And seeing as the room was now bare of students he decided to get on with his written test, which took an hour to complete. After that, he went to the gymnasium for his field-test, just in time for his name to come up on the intercom to be relocated to the school's main arena. As he wonder why, he made to the arena where school's faculty were seated on the front lines, though there are very few present. When he mounted the stage he gasped when he saw Chazz and the two Obelisk Blue students from last night.<p>

_"May I have your attention, please!"_ Anais called out over the P.A., _"The match that is about to begin has taken place because of disciplinary issues. As of last week, these four students have broken curfew and now must pay the penalty,"_ that happened a week ago, yet Jason wondered why they were doing something about that now, _"So by recent order of faculty, we have arrange a match to determine the actions needed to be taken. As a one-on-one duel, each student must take their position and begin when ready."_

"This can't be good..." Jason muttered under his breath.

"Are you ready, Slifer?!" Chazz sneered, "It's you paid back for that embarrassment you caused me! Man, I've been waiting a long time to say: Raizou! Torimaki! School this fool!" on command the two Obelisks stepped in while Chazz jumped off the platform.

Raizou, the one one with brown hair, was the first to take position, "Time to teach you who's boss, slacker!" both activated their duel-disks.

**Jason: 4000**

**Raizou: 4000**

"I'm making the first move!" Raizou drew his sixth card, "I activate the spell card Cost Down! By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can downgrade the levels of all the monsters in my hand by 2! So now it's easier to summon this guy, Neo Aqua Madoor (6/ATK: 1200/DEF: 3000) in DEF mode!" a masked wizard in a teak cloak appeared knelt on the field (DEF: 3000), "Next I activate the spell card Monster Reborn to bring back the monster I just tossed out! The Statue of Easter Island (4/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1400), come on out to the field in DEF mode!" a large Easter Island statue rose up next to the wizard (DEF: 1400), "Finally I place 2 card face-down!" Raizou sneered at his two reverse-cards, 'Go ahead and take the bait! No matter what monster you pull out, I'll just use Call of the Earthbound to redirect your attack to Aqua Madoor! And with Cross Counter, not only will your weaker monster be destroyed, but you'll take twice as much battle-damage! There's no way you'll get at my life-points!'

"It's my turn," Jason drew his sixth card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization! With this, I can fuse the Elemental Heroes Ocean and Knospe to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two heroes merged into the ice-based superhero (ATK: 2500), "Next, I activate the quick-play magic card, De-Fusion! This card returns a fusion monster from my field and replaces them with the monsters I used in its fusion from the graveyard!" Absolute Zero separated into Ocean (ATK: 1500) and Knospe (ATK: 600).

"You should spend more time in class!" Raizou laughed, "You just summoned a stronger monster just to sacrifice him for 2 weaker ones!"

"You idiot!" Chazz snapped, "You're forgetting about Absolute Zero's ability!"

"Huh?!"

"When Absolute Zero leaves the field, every monster on your side of the field is destroyed!" Jason said as both of Raizou's monsters shattered under ice.

"My monsters!" Raizou cried.

"Now I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the fire-wielding hero appeared, "And he gains 200 ATK points for each hero on my field (ATK: 2200)! Now all my monsters will attack!" all three heroes rushed in towards Raizou.

**Jason: 4000**

**Raizou: 0**

The audience began muttering to each other in amazement as they watched Raizou's life-points dropped to zero. It was like they never seen anything like it.

"How could you be so careless, Raizou!" Chazz shouted.

"B-but it's not my fault!" Raizou stammered.

"Step aside and let me show you how it's done!" Torimaki took Raizou's place and activated his duel-disk, "You got us in a lot of trouble! Time for you to pay for it!"

**Jason: 4000**

**Torimaki: 4000**

"I'll take the first move!" Torimaki drew his sixth card, "I summon the (1) Lord on D.(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1100) onto the field!" a wizard in dragon-like armor and a blue cape appeared (DEF: 1100), "Next I activate the spell card, Flute of Summoning Dragon!" Lord of D. was given a dragon-shaped horn and blew from it, "While I have Lord of D. on the field, I can special-summon 2 dragon-type monsters from my hand! So now I call forth (2) Tyrant Dragon(8/ATK: 2900/DEF: 2800), and (3) Prime Material Dragon (6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 2000)!" a large crimson dragon with a crimson jewel on his forehead (ATK: 2900), and a solid gold six-winged dragon (ATK: 2400) appeared, "With that, I place 1 card face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Polymerization! By fusing Elemental Heroes Woodsman and Lady Heat from my hand, I fusion-summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" two more heroes merged into the black-armored earth-based hero (ATK: 2200), "And once he's summoned, I can cut the ATK points of another monster in half and give Gaia the same amount!" Gaia smashed his hands into the ground and encased Tyrant Dragon inside a prison of stone columns. But Lord of D. deflected it with a barrier by a tune from his horn.

"Did you think I wouldn't see that coming?!" Torimaki scoffed, "My Lord of D. protects all of my dragon-type monsters from targeting card-effects! Your Gaia's special-ability just backfired!"

"Then I summon (17) Elemental Hero Ocean(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)!" an armored merman-like warrior appeared, who had a large, long fin erected on his head, and wielded a crescent-bladed lance (ATK: 1500), "I place 2 card face-downs and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Torimaki drew his next card, "If you think that trap of your is gonna help you, think again! As long as Prime-Material Dragon's on my field, I can negate and destroy any card-effects my sending 1 card from my hand to the graveyard! Now, I sacrifice my Lord of D. to summon Luster Dragon #2 (6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1400)!" the draconic wizard was replaced my a large emerald-scaled dragon (ATK: 2400), "Now you have 3 powerful dragons ready to burn away your life-points! First, my Tyrant Dragon is gonna attack your Elemental Hero Ocean!" Tyrant Dragon spewed out a powerful stream of flame.

"I activate my trap card, Covering Fire!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "When a monster on my side of the field is attacked, he gains ATK points equal to that of another on my field! So Elemental Hero Ocean gains Gaia's 2200 ATK points (ATK: 3700)!" Ocean leap away from the dragon's flame and slayed it with a strike from its staff.

**Jason: 4000**

**Torimaki: 3200**

"Doesn't matter! I still have 2 more dragons out and both are stronger than your monsters! Prime Material Dragon, attack!" Prime Material fired a stream of golden flame flame at Ocean.

"I activate the trap card, Magical Arm Shield!" Jason's second card opened. "When I have a monster on your field when you attack, I can target another monster on your field and use it as the target of your attack!" a pair of clamps extended from a white shield and reached out towards Luster Dragon.

"I activate The Dragon's Bead continuous-trap!" a jade gem grew on Luster Dragon's forehead and flashed. The dragon fired a stream of emerald flame that scorched the Magical Arm Shield, "By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can negate the targeting effect of any trap card and destroy it!" Prime Material Dragon continued its attack and destroyed Ocean.

**Jason: 3100**

**Torimaki: 3200**

"Now my Luster Dragon will attack Elemental Hero Gaia!" Gaia was destroyed by Luster Dragon's emerald flame.

**Jason: 2900**

**Torimaki: 3200**

"See? No Slifer's gonna get the best of me! And to top it off, I activate the spell card, Dragon's Gunfire! This give a dragon-type monster on my field the ability to inflict 800 points of damage! Luster Dragon, attack!" Luster Dragon blasted Jason with a ball of fire, "I end my turn!"

**Jason: 2100**

**Torimaki: 3200**

"My turn..." Jason drew his next card, "I set 1 monster in DEF mode and end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" Torimaki drew his next card, "Luster Dragon, attack his face-down card!" Luster Dragon fired away and destroyed Jason's monster, which was Phantom Magician.

"When Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle, I can summon an elemental Hero with 1000 or less ATK points from my deck in DEF mode! I choose Knospe!" the flowerbud hero appeared (DEF: 1000).

"That monster's next! Attack!" Prime Material Dragon attacked and destroyed Knospe, "Now I activate the spell card, Spellbook inside the Pot! This lets both of us draw 3 cards from our decks! But no card you draw is gonna be useful against what I got!" both players drew three cards, "This'll give me something for Prime Material's effect. I'll end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Fusion Recovery! This allows me to ad a Polymerization card and a monster card from my graveyard to my hand!" he added two cards back into his hand, "Now I activate Polymerization to fuse together Ocean and Heat and summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the frigid hero returned (ATK: 2500). "Absolute Zero, attack Prime Material Dragon!" Absolute Zero landed a punch on Prime Material Dragon.

**Jason: 2100**

**Torimaki: 3100**

"Now I activate De-Fusion to separate Absolute Zero!" Absolute Zero split back into Heat (ATK: 2000) and Ocean (ATK: 1500), "And when Absolute Zero leaves the field, your monsters are destroyed!" Luster Dragon froze and shattered.

"No! Not this again!"

"Elemental Heroes Heat and Ocean, attack!" Torimaki was knocked back by a combined attack of fire and water.

**Jason: 2100**

**Torimaki: 0**

The teachers once again clamored at the outcome of the second duel. It was as interesting to watch as the first one.

"I had enough! Move!" Chazz climbed up the platform and stomped past Raizou and Torimaki, "You've embarrassed us Obelisks for the last time!" he activated his duel-disk, "Time to put you down for good!"

"Hold it!" everyone turned to see Crowler walking towards the arena, "I know we're in the middle of a duel, but I think a change of scenery is in order!"

* * *

><p>That change happened to be the academy gymnasium. He stood on a much bigger platform on one of the six smaller arenas, in an auditorium seated by many students. Standing beside Chazz was a well-equipped Crowler. And standing beside Jason was another Slifer.<p>

"I'm dueling an _Obelisk_?" Jaden gasped, "And it's _Chazz_?"

That's right, Jaden," Crowler said, "since you always talk such a big game, I pulled some strings for you so you got the challenge you deserved! So you'll be dueling one of the top-ranked students in the school. And this won't be any ordinary contest; you and Jason will be tested the same way you passed your entrance exam; two separate duel's sharing one duel-field. The only difference is, Chazz will be your opponent. And since this is a field test, since you'll be up against a big-time duelist it's going to determine big-time points!" even though it's his first time, Jason knew these are unusual circumstances. But what's so special about it?

"I've got a ba-a-ad feeling about this." Syrus thought.

'This is clearly a trap.' Bastion thought as well, 'only a cavalier fool would agree to it.' but gasped when Jaden gave his answer.

"I'll do it!" Jaden declared and readied his duel-disk, "All right Chazz, get your game on! Let's finish what we started at Obelisk Arena!"

"And what about you, Jason? Are you up for the challenge?" Crowler asked, although he already knew the answer, "I know you're nervous, young man, but how about this..." he pulled out his legendary card and showed it to Jason, "I won't use my Ancient Gear Golem in this duel, so you'll have somewhat of a sporting chance." Jason cursed under his breath. Does Crowler underestimate Slifer Red that much? Without saying a word, he slotted his deck into his duel-disk, "Straight to the point, I see. That's fine by me!" Crowler turned on his custom-made duel-disk and drew his hand with Jason, "Let's duel!"

**Crowler: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jaden: 4000**

"Bring it, Slifer slacker!" Chazz dared.

"Oh, it is brought!" Jason said, drawing his sixth card, "You remember this guy, don'tcha, Chazz? From our first match? Elemental Hero Clayman!" the colossal clay warrior knelt to the floor (DEF: 2000), "He'd like to get reacquainted."

"Not after he sees what _I_ got for 'im!" Chazz chuckled ,"Don't think for a second that oversized pile of pebbles has a chance against me, Jaden! Or against this!", he drew his next card, "Fresh off the presses! Meet Magical Mallet!"

"What's that?"

"A redo. All the cards in my hand that I don't want, I put back in my deck. Then I shuffle and re-draw," Chazz proceeded and redrew his hand,  
>"Now I get to pick whichever cards I want. Pretty cool, don'tcha think? And I haven't gotten to the best part! See, Jaden? I got to reshuffle Magical Mallet, too; so if I draw it again which I just did, I can play it again an' again," Chazz repeated the process, "And that comes in handy, when I'm looking for <em>this<em>: (4) V-Tiger Jet(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800)! Sharpen your claws for ATK mode!" a large yellow fighter-jet appeared in the form of a crouched tiger with green wings on its sides. Unfolding itslef it landed on the field (ATK: 1600), "And there's a lot more where that came from! Check out the magic of Frontline Base continuous-spell! It lets me summon another level-4-or-below monster this turn. And I have just the one; I play (5) W-Wing Catapult(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500), in ATK mode!" a blue jet platform appeared next to the tiger jet (ATK: 1300), "Gentlemen start your engines!" W-Wing Catapult revs up its jet engines and soared into the air, "Now, merge!" V-Tiger Jet fired its engines and hovered straight up. In midair, the two machines stacked together to form a single, larger unit, "All right! The (6) VW-Tiger Catapult(6/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2100)! But wait, I'm not done _yet_, 'cause he still has his special-ability!"

"That's not good." Jaden groaned.

"By sending a card to the graveyard, I can force one of _your_ monsters into ATK mode!" Clayman stood up from his guard (ATK: 800), "So now, after this heat-seeker blitz from my Tiger Catapult, your life-points are toast!" Jaden braced himself as his monster was bombarded by a series of exploding missiles.

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jaden: 2800**

"I'll finish up with 1 card face-down." A reverse-card appeared.

"Yeah, go ahead and finish up. 'Cause I'm just gettin' _warmed_ up."

"How about you wait your turn; because it's mine to go," Crowler said and drew his next card, "I'll start by summoning (12) Red Gadget(3/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500) in DEF position, "a red-and-silver robot appeared with a large gear attached to its back, "And when this little guy is brought out to the field, I can add a Yellow Gadget from my deck to my hand," Crowler added another card to his hand, "Now I place two card face-down and end my turn." two reverse-cards appeared.

'I've been hearing rumors of Jason winning against one of the academy's teacher's,' Chakra thought as she kept her eyes on the duel, 'Now I just have to see if it's fact...'

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set a monster face-down and end my turn."

"Alright, my turn," Jaden drew his next card, "And I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman! In DEF mode!" the crowd reacted as the lightning-wielding hero settle in DEF position (DEF: 1400), "And, I'll throw down a face-down!" Jaden concluded.

"Ready for round, two, you Slifer slime?" Chazz taunted as he drew his next card, "Well (7) X-Head Cannon (4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1500) is! And, thanks to Frontline's magic, so is (9) Z-Metal Tank(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1300)!" a yellow-plated robot with shoulder-mounted lasers appeared supported on a floating metal ball (ATK: 1800), along with a yellow crab-like tank (ATK: 1500), "Now I play, my face-down card! Call of the Haunted!" Chazz's reverse-card rose, "In case you slept through _that_ class as well, it allows me to bring back a monster from my graveyard, and I choose..." a red dragon-based mecha rose to the field, "That's right: (8) Y-Dragon Head(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1500)! It's what I discarded with my Catapult's special-ability! And now I combine them all to create, (10) XYZ-Dragon Cannon(7/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2600)!" the three monsters stacked together, X on top of Y and Y on top of Z (ATK: 2800), "But wait, Jaden; there's more! Actually, _less_. Sure, they say two's better than one, but I have to disagree..." both of his monsters soared into the air and started recombining themselves, "Especially when the one in question is the ultimate, (11) VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon(8/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2800)!" the collection of machines landed as a giant robot, with V's claws, standing on W's parts as its legs, X connected as its torso with the tiger's head as its helmet, Y's wings on its back and Z's parts hanging from the yellow robot's hands as its arms (ATK: 3000), "Makes your Spark'man' look like a heap of spark _plugs_, huh," Sparkman then evaporates from the field, on the spot, "Or at least it _did_."

"My Sparkman...!" Jaden gasped.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Didn't I mention V-to-Z's special-ability?" Chazz chuckled, "He allows me to remove one card on your side of the field once per turn. And if ya think *that's* impressive, just wait'll you see his attack. An attack that will strike your life-points directly!"

"Don't think so, Chazz, I have a trap!" Jaden's reverse-card rose, "A Hero Emerges!"

"Blast it!" Crowler cursed.

"A Hero _what_?!" Chazz gasped.

"Emerges. As in _emerges_ onto the field! 'Cause now you have to randomly choose a card from my hand and if it's a monster, I get to play it! So take your pick, Chazz."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. The far right."

"Sweet! Elemental Hero Burstinatrix! I'll play her in DEF mode." Jaden's fiery heroine appeared (DEF: 800).

"That's what you think, you Slifer Slacker! When Dragon Catapult Cannon attacks, _I_ get to choose your monster's mode! And ya know what? I choose ATK mode, which means not only will she be zapped-," Dragon Catapult Cannon charged up as Burstinatrix stood and took the full force of the blast. "But your life-points will, too!"

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jaden: 1000**

"Aw, what's the matter, Jaden? Having some test anxiety? Don't worry; it'll be over soon."

"No way, Chazz, I got a whole army of vicious monsters in my deck just waitin' to get at you! This isn't over; it's just barely starting!"

"We'll see..."

"Of course you'll have to wait; because now, it's my turn," Crowler drew his next card, "I summon (13) Yellow Gadget(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200) in ATK mode!" a yellow robot appeared with gear halves on both sides of this body and another on its back (ATK: 1200), "And when Yellow Gadget is summoned, I can add a Green Gadget to my hand!" Crowler added yet another card to his hand, "Next, I activate one of my face-down cards, the continuous-trap, Ultimate Offering!" one of his reverse-cards opened, "For a small price of 500 life-points, I can summon an extra monster from my hand. And with it's effect, I sacrifice my Yellow Gadget to summon the (15) Ancient Gear Gadgjiltron Chimera (6/ATK: 2300/DEF: 1300)!" after the yellow machine vanished a giant creature rose to the field, bent down and supported by its forearms. It was made of clusters of rusted metal parts. It had three heads whose shapes were either humanoid, bird-like or bestial.

**Crowler: 3500**

**Jason: 4000**

"Another Ancient Gear monster..." Jason gasped, "There's more of them?"

"And now for Yellow Gadget to wind it up a bit!" Yellow Gadget returned and attached itself onto the large gap in-between the chimera's heads. The gears inside started to turn and the machine came to life roaring. Even the cobra-shaped tip of its tail rose up with a hiss,"And, by paying 500 life-points, I can summon Boot-Up Soldier-Dread Dynamo(4/ATK: 0/DEF: 2000) from my hand this turn," a bronze-collared robot appeared, smaller than Chimera, yet larger than Red Gadget (ATK: 0), "Sure, he has zero ATK points now, but as soon as I connect it with Red Gadget, all that will change soon enough. For you see, when I control a face-up Gadget monster while my Boot-Up Soldier is in play, it gains 2000 ATK points!" Red Gadget backed itself into the large gap in the larger robot. As it turned its back gear Dread Dynamo came to life (ATK: 2000).

**Crowler: 3000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Chimera, attack his face-down card!" the chimera raised its arm and stretched it across the field, landing it on Jason's set monster and crushed it. Jason raised his arms against the dust cloud it created.

"The monster you destroyed was Phantom Magician!" Jason said, so now I can special-summon a Hero monster from my deck with 1000-or-less ATK points! And the monster I choose is Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-based hero appeared (DEF: 2000) as Jason reshuffled his deck. 'At least I have something to protect me with. And since that Boot-Up Soldier has 2000 ATK points...

"You may have saved yourself from Dread Dynamo's attack," Crowler said, "But your life-points are far from safe! Or did it not occur to you that my Chimera also has a special-ability! And since I summoned it using Yellow Gadget as a sacrifice, whenever it successfully destroys a monster, it can inflict 700 points of direct damage!" the bird-like head charged up its beak and blasted Jason with a beam of golden energy.

**Crowler: 3000**

**Jason: 3300**

"See? Your life-points aren't safe whether you monsters are in ATK or DEF position. I'll end my turn for now."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "And I activate the effect of my Elemental Hero Woodsman! Now I can add a Polymerization magic card from my deck," Jason searched until he found the card he was looking for. He could hear the crowd already fussing over how he's been shuffling his deck, "Now... I activate the magic card Polymerization! By fusing Elemental Heroes Lady Heat and Knospe, I can summon (19) Elemental Hero Nova Master(8/ATK: 2600/DEF: 2100)!" the two monsters combined and formed a column of fire burst from the field in which another hero came out, wearing red flared armor with a cape and helmeted mask (ATK: 2600), "Elemental Hero Nova Master, attack that Ancient Gear Chimera!" Nova Master rose to the sky and raised his arm over his head, where a large ball of fire formed in his hand. The warrior threw it down towards the chimera, where the monster was crushed underneath before exploding.

**Crowler: 2700**

**Jason: 3300**

"No harm done," Crowler said nonchalant, "I hardly lost any life-points. But just in case, I'll activate the continuous-trap, Stronghold The Moving Fortress!" as Crowler;s reverse-card opened, a large man-like structure of metal rose to the field. And like most of his monsters, it had three gap[s together on its chest fit for gears (DEF: 2000), "Although it's activated as a trap card, Stronghold is now treated as an earth-attribute machine-type monster with zero ATK points, and 2000 DEF points. This should help defend my life-points from any more harm."

"When Nova Master destroys a monster in battle, I can draw a card from my deck!" Jason the drew one card, "Now I place 1 card face-down and end my turn." a reverse-card appeared.

"Alright, my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "...And I summon Winged Kuriboh in DEF mode!" the small, brown-furred fairy appeared (DEF: 200), and the majority of the audience squealed at the sight of the bright-eyed little fuzzball, "And I'll throw down a face-down, too," a reverse-card appeared, "That's it."

"All done, huh? Good, 'cause now I can cook that Kuriboh and I like mine well-done!" Chazz drew his next card, "There's about to be a fried furball on the field, ya loser!"

"You don't scare me!" Jaden argued.

"No big deal, I don't have to. That's his job," Chazz pointed at the giant robot, "Dragon Catapult Cannon, attack!" All cannons fired on Winged Kuriboh.

Right before the attack connected, Jaden slated the cards in his hand to the graveyard, "I sacrifice two cards and activate Transcendent Wings!"a quick-play spell card rose up.

"Where did he get that?!" Crowler shrieked.

Winged Kuriboh's wings the grew, its wingspan now exceeding the width of the arena. Dragon Catapult Cannon's attack hits, and got refracted, Winged Kuriboh somehow dispersing the attack to either side of him and Jaden.

"It can't be!" Chazz gasped.

"Oh, it 'be'. Transcendent Wings has evolved Winged Kuriboh into (21) Winged Kuriboh LV 10(10/ATK: 300/DEF: 200)!" Through the light, Winged Kuriboh received a dragon-shaped golden headdress of some sort, "And it gets better, too. By sacrificing _himself_, Kuriboh destroys all monsters in ATK mode, and deflects their ATK points back as damage to _you_! Kuriboh, why don'tcha go ahead n' show 'im how it works!" a ball of sparking light sat on Jaden's side of the field. An echoing Kuriboh coo can be heard at the center of the explosion, then the ball of light exploded outward, striking Dragon Catapult Cannon and obliterating it.

**Chazz: 1000**

**Jaden: 1000**

"Lucky punk!" Chazz growled.

"Lucky? Nah, I just happen to have a soft spot for old ladies. But not for you, Chazz. An' that's too bad, 'cause with 1000 life-points apiece, all I need is the right monster and you'll be finished!"

"I end my turn!"

"Which means it's my turn, once again," Crowler, recently calmed down, drew his next card, "I summon (14) Green Gadget(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 600)!" the third gadget was a green lower body turning its gear under its upper body (ATK: 1400), "And once he's summoned, I can add a Red Gadget from my deck," he added another card to my hand, "Next I activate the spell Monster Reborn to revive my Yellow Gadget from my graveyard," the yellow machine returned, "And as you already know, it allows me to add a Green Gadget to my hand," he added another card from his deck, "And now I switch my Moving Fortress to ATK mode!"

"But why ATK mode?" Jason wondered, "Doesn't it have 0 ATK points!"

"Normally, yes. But then I have Red Gadget, Yellow Gadget and Green Gadget together on the field, my Stronghold gains 3000 ATK points!" Red Gadget left Dread Dynamo and joined its brethren, attaching themselves to the gaps of Stronghold. The gears inside turned as the iron giant rose to its feet (ATK: 3000), "But he won't be the only one powering up. Next I activate an equip-spell card called Machine Conversion Factory. This can raises the ATK and DEf of any machine-type monster by 300. And I'll be adding these points onto Dread Dynamo," the bronze machine glowed with energy (ATK: 2300/DEF: 2300), "Now, my Dread Dynamo, attack and destroy his Woodsman!" Red Gadget detached itself from Stronghold and reattached itself onto Dread Dynamo. The Boot-Up Soldier ran towards the defending monster, and brought its arms down on him, destroying Woodsman, "And now for that Nova Master! Red Gadget, return to Stronghold and attack!" Red Gadget reattached itself back to Stronghold, so the giant could slam its fist at Nova Master.

"I activate my trap card, Kunai with Chain!" Nova Master's right wrist was then covered in a rope of chains, along with a three-pointed blade attached at the end, "I can attach this card onto Nova Master, giving him 500 ATK points! Nova Master, counterattack!" Nova Master engulfed the blade with flames and swung it against the chain. He then swung it down across Stronghold, the giant splitting in tow before it exploded, throwing the three gadgets down to the ground, "And I get to draw 1 card due to Nova Master's effect!"

**Crowler: 2600**

**Jason: 3300**

"Fine then. I switch all my monsters to DEF mode and then end my turn with a face-down." all four of Crowler's monsters, including Red Gadget Attached to Boot-Up Soldier, stood guard.

Red Gadget: (DEF: 1500)

Yellow Gadget: (DEF: 1200)

Green Gadget: (DEF: 600)

Boot-Up Soldier-Dread Dynamo: (DEF: 2000)

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the spell card, Hero's Bond! While there's an Elemental Hero on my field, I can summon 2 more from my hand! So I summon Elemental Heroes Heat and Ocean!" the flame-wielding hero (ATK: 1600) and the merman hero (ATK: 1500) appeared, "And since there are 3 heroes on my field, Heat gets 600 ATK points (ATK: 2200), "Elemental Hero Ocean, attack Yellow Gadget!"

"I think not. I activate the trap, No Entry!" as Crowler's reverse card opened, all of Jason's monsters dropped to DEF mode, "Once this cards activates, all monsters that are in ATK position are forced into DEF position!"

"Then I place 1 card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

"Okay, my turn! Here goes something!" Jaden looked at the card he drew and held it up, "Yeah! Elemental Hero Avian!" Both Chazz and Crowler gasped as he summoned the emerald-feathered superhero (ATK: 1000), "Now attack with Featherbreak!" and then . Chazz watched as Avian rose up, unable to do a thing. Numb with shock, he took the rain of razor feathers then fell to his knees, teeth clenched in bitter defeat.

**Chazz: 0**

**Jaden: 1000**

The moment Chazz's life-points ran out, the crowd cheered for Jaden's victory.

"Impossible!" Crowler cried, "I can't believe he beat Chazz!" his expression then turned to that of disgust and whipped away, "How pathetic. And I even gave him all those rare cards!"

Chazz turned to Crowler, pleading, "Dr. Crowler! Give me another chance!"

But Crowler ignored him, "Huh? Did someone say something? I thought I heard a flea."

"Dr. Crowler!"

After waving to the crowd, Jaden gave Chazz his customary salute and winked, "That's game! Unless you wanna duel again?"

A bitter and angry Chazz glared venomously at Jaden as he stood, "Oh, we _will_!" he growled as he stormed off.

"If we're quite done here...!" Crowler interrupted, "I would like to finish this duel sometime today! So if you don't mind..." he then drew his next card, looking at it, he grinned widely, "I think this is card I need to achieve my victory! I activate the normal-spell card, (5D's) Deluxe Limiter Removal! Allow me to demonstrate what this card does: by paying 1000 life-points, I can summon a level-6-or-higher machine type monster from my hand with one extra sacrifice! Of course, I cannot special-summon this turn, but it does give the monster 1000 extra ATK points for this turn!" the three gadgets vanished, "I sacrifice my three gadgets to summon the all-powerful, almighty, (16) Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon(ATK: 3000/DEF: 2000)!" a more colossal cluster of scrap-metal rose to the field in a burst of wind in the formed of a winged dragon. The three gadgets reappeared and attached themselves on the spaces braced around the dragon's craned neck. Gears turning, the dragon craned its elongated neck and roared (ATK: 3000-4000).

"4000 ATK points?!" Syrus gasped.

"Incredible!" Bastion added.

"I knew Crowler got something like that stashed somewhere in his deck..." Chakra muttered, "We just got our wake-up call!"

"And like its predecessor, my Ancient Gear Gadjiltron dragon holds three special-abilities, each one functioned by a gadget I sacrificed. From a Green Gadget, whenever my dragon battles a weaker monster in DEF position, the difference is dealt to the opposing player as damage. When a Yellow Gadget is used, whenever it destroys a monster, it can inflict 600 points as damage to that monster's owner. Lastly, when my Red Gadget is used in its gearwork, when it inflicts battle-damage, it can inflict 400 additional points of damage! And in addition to my dragon's own custom-made ability, you can't activate any spell or trap cards while he attacks!"

"With DX Limiter Removal, he can utilize all three of his dragon's effects without worrying which gadgets to sacrifice for it. And if he decides to attack one of his weaker monsters that are in DEF mode," Chakra lowered his eyes from the scene, sucking her teeth, "He doesn't stand a chance."

"Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon, attack Elemental Hero Heat with Steampunk Shockwave!" Crowler cackled as the three gadgets ground the dragon's gears much faster than they were. The continuous friction was gathered and spat from the dragon's mouth in a stream of fiery energy. It tore a trench through the field as the destructive blast reach Jason's field, resulting in a massive explosion. Crowler stood proudly over the pluming smoke, "Hmph. Well now, that was somewhat _entertaining_. But I guess you're not so special after all. Nevertheless I should give you a grad on this. I believe a solid '40' would suffi-" but as he could see clearly through the dissipating dust, Jason's field was still active, save for Elemental Hero Heat.

**Crowler: 2600**

**Jason: 1500**

"WHAT?!" Crowler screeched, "How could you have life-points left?! You couldn't possible have played any trap cards!" he then heard the sound of clanking metal. He he looked towards his dragon, it suddenly lost balance and collapsed on itself. Something then seeped out of the dragon in the form of a small, clown-like spirit wearing red robes and a green scarf, with a menacing grin stretched across its face, "What _is_ that?!"

"What you're looking at is my trap card!" Jason said as his revealed his opened reverse-card, "Reverse-Trap!"

"A trap?! You can't play that! My dragon's special-ability prevents it!"

"Only when it battles; you said so yourself! That's why I decided to go ahead and activate it before your dragon was even summoned!"

Crowler growled, "That trap card; how did you still have life-points left? What did it do to my dragon?!"

"I thought since you got a degree on dueling you'd know well what it does," Jason tried to joke, "It was here ever since the game was first made. But since you didn't, I guess I'll have to explain: Reverse Trap summons a spirit made to reverse increases and decreases made to a monster's ATK and DEF points. So after activating your Deluxe Limiter Removal, I played my Reverse Trap and its spirit lingered on the field until you summoned your Gadjiltron Dragon, _outside_ the battle-phase so it can got to work on it! Now instead of gaining ATK points, your dragon _lost_ ATK points!"

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: (ATK: 2000)

"Don't think this duel is over, Slifer! I activate the spell card Swords of Revealing Light!" a series of large giant swords rained down around Jason's monsters, forming a barrier, "Now you can't attack for the next three turns! In the meantime I'll wait until my next turn to wipe out the rest of your life-points!" Crowler grinned, "You have one more chance to stop my monster before my monster destroys you! All you have to do is free your monsters from my swords!"

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: (ATK: 3000)

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate the effect of my Elemental Hero Ocean! Now I can add a hero from my graveyard to my hand!" Jason added his Knospe to his hand, "Next I summon (18) Elemental Hero Stratos(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 300)!" a new masked hero appeared wearing tights and armor in different shades of blue and green. It hovered closely on the field with a set of rotors attached to a pair of wings (ATK: 1800), "And it comes with a special-ability: when summoned, I can destroy a number of magic and trap cards for each other hero on my field! And I have only one in mind..." Stratos' spinning rotors launched a pair of miniature tornadoes that slammed into the barrier of swords. The swords endured until they suddenly shattered and crumbled into particles of light, "Finally, I activate the card I just drew: the field-magic, Fusion Gate!" as Jason placed the card inside a hidden compartment at the edge of his card tray, the entire field became a grid of light-green energy, "As I just found out today, there are more way to summon a fusion-monster than Polymerization! With Fusion Gate on the field, I can fuse monsters by removing them from the game! And the ones I fuse are Stratos from my field and Knospe from my hand!" the field in the center warped into a wormhole. Knospe appeared and joined Stratos in jumping inside, where the vortex suddenly burst out a maelstrom, "Now I summon the (20) Elemental Hero Great Tornado(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2200)!" the tornado dispersed, revealing another hero. The wind picked up against its tattered cloak, revealing a suit of black, orange and green armor, it's silver shoulder-pads modeled after large fans (ATK: 2800).

"So what!" Crowler scoffed, "Even if you manage to destroy my dragon and soldier this turn, you'll only be able to inflict 1500 points of damage with your Elemental Hero Ocean!"

"I activate Great Tornado's effect! Now the ATK and DEF of all your monsters are halved!" a pair of twisters blasted from Great Tornado's shoulder-pads and crashed into Crowler's monsters.

Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon: (ATK: 1500)

Boot-Up Soldier-Dread Dynamo: (DEF: 1150)

"No!"

"Elemental Hero Ocean, attack Dread Dynamo!" Ocean sliced down the Boot-Up Soldier, "Nova Master, destroy the Gadjiltron Dragon!" Nova Master struck down the dragon with his blade, causing the dragon to explode.

**Crowler: 1000**

**Jason: 1500**

"Finally, Great Tornado! Attack Crowler's life-points directly!" Great Tornado launched on last twin tornado that slammed into Crowler, sending him flying across the field. The teacher landed flat on his back.

**Crowler: 0**

**Jason: 1500**

At that instant, the crowd roared in another amazing victory. Jason stood dumbfolded. He never once imagined he would be cheered at by a massive audience. He walked to Crowler, who was still laid out on his back. When he was sure he was awake, Jason held out his hand for him, "Umm... Good game!"

Crowler then suddenly swatted his hand away, glaring at him, "I don't need your help!" the doctor stood up, facing away from Jason, "I just got careless, is all! I could have won if I had my Ancient Gear Golem! You're still an inexperienced Slifer Deadbeat like all the others...!" Crowler ran off. Jason could've sworn he heard him crying...

_"That was well played, duelists of Slifer Red,"_ Jason looked up to the top box where principal Sheppard spoke through the loudspeaker, _"Not in the history of our revered Academy has a Slifer ever dueled an Obelisk or Faculty during these exams. Not only did you hold your own, but, you won! Your courage against overwhelming odds is... inspiring. It is with great pride that I grant you both promotion to Ra Yellow! Good job!"_

Jason gasped at that. He's getting promoted?! Many emotions ran through his mind. The one on general, anxiety. Is he actually ready for Ra Yellow...?

* * *

><p>Jason leaned against the railing outside the Slifer dorm, still weighing out the pros and cons on the offer he was given earlier. If he agreed, he could get a bigger room and maybe some roommates. He heard they have much better food there. No more skimping out on sardines and sandwiches. And more importantly, he won't be picked on by Obelisk Blues for being a Slifer Red. On the other hand...<p>

"Jason Hutchins," Jason turned to see Anais walking towards him, "I've been meaning to talk to you. First of all, I'd like you to explain why none of the Obelisk Blues received their mail before they went to class today!"

"I'm sorry for that," Jason said, "I was helping someone move a wagon up the hill to the building this morning..."

"That wasn't part of your job!" Anais snapped, "If someone needed help you should call someone and went on with the job you're assigned to! Remember, I'm the one who allowed you to stay in this school; so I'll be the one to put you out if I have to," Anais's voice seemed to grow louder as she became more angered; and her extensions looked to droop down against her head like a dog's ears would, "And another thing, if I _ever_ find out you've been skipping curfew, or lurking around the Obelisk Girl's dorm without permission, no matter what reason you have, you _will_ be certain that you will be on the next boat out of here!" catching her breath, Anais turned and walked away.

"Wait," Jason said, stopping Anais, "Abut that promotion-"

"What promotion?" Anais said, "You seemed to forget that you were in a disciplinary duel. And for a fitting punishment you will be denied of your promotion. Maybe that will teach you to sneak out after curfew."

As Anais walked away, Jason became disappointed, yet relieved from that reply. Now that he thought of it, even if he were in Ra Yellow, there still are many more Slifers for them to pick on. Now that Jaden isn't here anymore to look out for the little guy, then who will?

So, you're still here?" Jason gasped as Jaden came up to the top deck.

"Jaden... Uh, what are you doing here?" Jason asked.

"I wanted to say congrats on passing your field test. Oh, and, uh, also, in case you'd forgotten, I live here!" Jason became completely speechless, "Sure, Ra Yellow's nice with their clean sheets, lack a' cockroaches, and those spiffy blazers, but without any of my friends... It's not actually home, is it?" Jaden went to his dorm before stopping. "Hey, are you still going to Ra Yellow?"

Jason thought about what Anais told him, "I...decided I rather stay here, too."

Jaden gave a bright smile, "Well I think you made a good choice."

"Yeah... I think I'll turn is for today..." Jason went towards his room.

"Um, okay then. See ya' tomorrow," Jaden said as he and Jason opened their doors. As soon as Jason closed it shut behind him, he slipped into the bottom bunk. As he fell asleep he could hear his next-door neighbors cheering and sobbing.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Lord of D.  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1100)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect:**

**(2) Tyrant Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2900/DEF: 2800)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

**Effect:**

**(3) Prime Material Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>

******Effect: ******

**(4) V-Tiger Jet  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(5) W-Wing Catapult  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(6) VW-Tiger Catapult  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2100)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(7) X-Head Cannon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**(8) Y-Dragon Head  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(9) Z-Metal Tank  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1300)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(10) XYZ-Dragon Cannon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2600)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(11) VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2600)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:**

**(12) Red Gadget  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect:**

**(13) Yellow Gadget  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect:**

**(14) Green Gadget  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 600)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect:**

**(15) Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Chimera  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2300/DEF: 1300)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect:**

**(16) **Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon**  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 3000/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect:**

**(17) Elemental Hero Ocean  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: WATER  
><strong>

********Effect: ********

**(18) Elemental Hero Stratos  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 300)**

**Attribute: WIND  
><strong>

********Effect: ********

**(19) Elemental Hero Nova Master  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 2100)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

**************Effect: **************

**(20) Elemental Hero Great Tornado  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2o00)**

**Attribute: WIND  
><strong>

**************Effect: **************

**(21) Winged Kuribou LV10  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 10 (ATK: 300/DEF: 200)**

**Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>

********************Effect: ********************


	5. Red vs Blue 2

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason; the character Rock is owned by Gammatron, as well as all cards marked with (GT).**

* * *

><p>It was a long Thursday for everyone at Duel Academy. Classes came and went slowly as always. But unfortunately for Jason, this one was the worst.<p>

"Jason Hutchins!" Crowler shrieked, catching Jason's attention, "You're awfully quiet today. Perhaps you'd like to explain to the class just what I told them about Monster Trigger Effects."

Jason knew exactly why Crowler called him out. Luckily he's been studying up the night before. So he stood up, although nervous, "A trigger is, uh... It... It's an effect that lets you activate its power during your main-phase..."

"Very good... IF I WERE EVEN LECTURING ABOUT IGNITION EFFECTS!" Crowler cackled, "That just proves you hopeless at paying attention! Oh, Chazz, why don't you explain the the methods of today's real lesson!" he then asked in a sickly sweet tone.

"Don't mind if I do!" Chazz sneered as he stood, "To clarify to our focus-challenged classmate over there, a Trigger Effect activates when a certain action's met; like when a monster's destroyed, a trap's activated, stuff like that."

"That's very good! Would you care to give me an example?"

"I was just getting to that," Chazz then pointed down towards Jason, "See, just last week we caught this Slifer sneaking into Obelisk territory towards the girls dorm that night," most of the girls in the room gasped and whispered when Chazz said that, "I thought I'd teach him a lesson, so I stopped him at the lake and challenged him to a duel!"

Jason silently cursed; that wasn't what happened! He's lying!

"Did you now! I knew he'd be up to no good!" Crowler replied giddily, "Do tell me about it!"

"Well, I'll just keep it short and simple: near the end I had my powerful Ultimate Obedient Field out while Jason had Peten the Dark Clown on his field! He used Fissure to try and sink my field, but then I countered with my face-down Raigeki Break to destroy his Peten first! Normally, when Peten's sent to the graveyard, another can be summoned from the deck. But that can only happen the moment Peten goes to the graveyard! Since a chain reaction occurred between my Raigeki Break and Jason's fissure at that time, Jason screwed up on a rare opportunity to play Peten's effect!"

"That would be called 'Missing the Timing'!" Crowler lectured.

"So he set himself up for a crushing defeat! Once I revived my ultimate field, I gave him an Axe of Fool to negate his own effect; then used it to crush Jason's life-points!" Chazz folded his arms as he took in the worship made by his so-called 'heroism'.

"Very good show, Chazz! As expected from one of my best students," Crowler clapped, then turned to Jason, "See? This is how to learn. If you had spent the night studying instead of trying yo ogle girls in their bathhouse..."

Raizou stood up, "When we turned him over to Ms. Fontaine, he tried to make up some story to get out of trouble!"

Torimaki the followed, "He tried to pin the blame on us by telling her we gave him an anonymous note to lure him out into the lake! We're surprised she actually believed it!"

"Is that right!" Crowler raised an eyebrow, "Well, I'm sure Chazz managed to teach Jason a lesson, at least. This Slifer's proof that all like him are as who they are: Deadbeat!"

Jason sunk into his seat, wanting to disappear as most of the Obelisks laughed at him.

* * *

><p>After a long, tiresome day of class, he was ready to return to his dorm room when he heard his PDA beeping during his trip halfway.<p>

'Let's have a duel. Meet me at the front of the Ra dorm. Bastion.'

That's weird, Jason wondered. He heard Bastion to be the smartest student in the school. So why would he be wasting his time with someone from the Slifer Red dorm like him? It could be the same stunt those Obelisks pulled the night he was lead to the lake. On the other hand, it would be rude to ignore someone's invitation. So he decided to go along with it.

After retrieving his duel-disk from his room, he followed his mailer's route that leads him to the Ra dorm. Once there, he found Bastion sitting on the staircase near the entrance. "Bastion?"

As soon as his name was heard, Bastion stood up and approached him, "So you're the one who defeated Crowler the other day. I was meaning to find you. ...You do remember me, don't you?"

Jason wasn't really one to remember a face, but he recognized his accent, "You were sitting at the entrance exams that day."

"Yes, well, we were never properly introduced, so allow me," the Ra greeted, "My name is Bastion Misawa. A pleasure to meet you."

Jason took Bastion's hand and shook it, "My name's Jason. Hey."

"I supposed you know why you're here, but, would you do me the honor of dueling against my deck?"

"You did say you wanted to have one..." Jason said, looking down at his duel-disk, "It's not like I have anything else to do today."

"Then let's get started," Soon both the red and yellow student were facing each other from either side of the building, "Now, I have six different decks, one for each attribute. If you want, you can choose which deck I'll use."

"Uh..." It's hard for Jason to decide.

"Want me to decide for you?"

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Fire deck it is," Bastion pulled has deck from his jacket and placed it into his duel-disk. "Anytime you're ready."

Jason did the same thing and activated his duel-disk with Bastion.

**Bastion: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

Since I'm the one who issued this challenge, I'll allow you to go first." Bastion offered.

"Thank you..." Jason then drew his sixth card, "I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn." a reversed monster card appeared in front of him.

"Well then, it's my turn," Bastion drew his sixth card, "And I summon (1) UFO Turtle(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1200)!" a large, green turtle appeared, whose shell was an actual metallic, discus spacecraft (ATK: 1400), "Now attack his face-down monster!" the turtle retracted back into its shell and spun itself towards Jason's face-down, which revealed itself as Elemental Hero Woodsman. The turtle bounced off of Woodsman's wooden arm and retreated back to its home field.

**Bastion: 3400**

**Jason: 4000**

"Woodsman. I expected as much. Very well, I'll end my turn with a face-down." a reverse-card appeared on Bastion's field.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization! By fusing Knospe and Heat from my hand, I can fusion-summon Elemental Hero Nova Master from my fusion deck!" the flower-bud hero and the fiery hero merged to form the blazing red-armored hero (ATK: 2600), "Next, I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode!" the fiery heroine appeared (ATK: 1300), "Nova Master attacks UFO Turtle!"

"I activate my face-down card, Backfire!" Bastion opened his continuous-trap card the moment UFO Turtle was destroyed with a fiery punch, "And while face-up on my field, every time one of my fire-attribute monsters are destroyed, toy take 500 points of damage!" the card itself blasted a ball of fire that slammed into Jason.

**Bastion: 2200**

**Jason: 3500**

"And what's more, when my turtle is destroyed in battle, I can summon another fire-attribute monster with 1500-or-less ATK from my deck in ATK position. So I'll summon another UFO Turtle!" a copy of the turtle appeared (ATK: 1400).

"I activate the quick-play magic card De-Fusion to separate my Nova Master back into Knospe and Heat!" the flower-bud (ATK: 600) and fiery hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And with 4 heroes on the field, Heat gains 800 ATK points (ATK: 2400)! Now Heat will attack UFO Turtle!" Heat destroyed the second turtle.

"When UFO Turtle is destroyed, I summon yet another fire-attribute monster from my deck, while you take another 500 points of damage from Backfire's effect!" yet another UFO Turtle appeared and Backfire launched another fireball.

**Bastion: 2200**

**Jason: 3000**

"When Nova Master destroys a monster in battle, I can draw one new card!" Jason drew another card, "And when there's another hero on my field, Knospe can attack you directly!" Knospe fired a round of bullet seeds at Bastion.

**Bastion: 1600**

**Jason: 3000**

"And when he inflicts damage, 100 points are transferred from his DEF points to his ATK points (ATK: 700/DEF: 900). Also, while he's with another hero, he can't be attacked. Now, after ending my turn with a face-down, I can activate Lady Heat's ability, which lets her inflict 200 points of damage to you for each hero on my field! And since there's 4 already on the field, Lady Heat can inflict 800 points of damage!" Lady Heat tossed four small fireballs at Bastion.

**Bastion: 800**

**Jason: 3000**

"It's my turn!" Bastion drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Pot of Greed to draw two more cards from my deck," he drew twice more, "I summon (*) The Thing in the Crater(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1200) id DEF mode!" a hole collapsed into the ground with a set of eyes peering through it (DEF: 1200), "Also from my hand comes one of this deck's most powerful monsters: (3) Goka, the Pyre of Malice(6/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1900)!" from the monster card dropped a large iron canister, from inside flared a living flame (ATK: 2200), "I can special-summon this monster while I have another fire-attribute monster on my field. After that, I have to destroy one of those monsters, like The Thing in the Crater!" the hole then erupted with fire, while Backfire attacked.

**Bastion: 800**

**Jason: 2500**

"And when that monster's destroyed and sent to the graveyard, I can special-summon another pyro-type monster from my hand: the (2) Solar Flare Dragon(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)!" from out of the hole came a serpentine dragon made almost completely of fire (ATK: 1500), "And since I summoned a monster with 1500-or-less ATK points this turn, I can activate the quick-play spell card, Inferno Reckless Summon! This allows each of us to summon up to two more copies of the same monster we have, so I'm summoning two more Solar Flare Dragons!" two more fire dragons appeared (ATK: 1500x2).

"And I summon another Lady Heat from my hand in DEF mode!" Jason summoned another Lady Heat (DEF: 1000).

"I activate Goka's second effect, which lets me sacrifice another fire-attribute monster on my field to grant Goka 500 ATK points for this turn! So I choose my UFO Turtle!" the turtle was pulled into the flaming canister (ATK: 2700), "On to the battle-phase! Goka attacks Elemental Hero Woodsman!" Goka's flame shot out from the canister and headed straight towards Woodsman.

"I activate the trap card, Shift!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "This card redirects a target to another one of my monsters! And I choose Elemental Hero Heat (ATK: 2600)!" Heat stood in the way of the attack and absorbed Goka's flames into his body. The canister then cracked and shattered.

**Bastion: 800**

**Jason: 2400**

"When a fire-attribute monster is destroyed, you take damage thanks to Backfire's effect!" Backfire shot another blast at Jason.

**Bastion: 800**

**Jason: 1900**

"And not my Solar Flare Dragons will attack your two Elemental Heroes Lady Heats!" two of Bastion's dragons fired a stream of flame that destroyed the two heroines.

**Bastion: 800**

**Jason: 1700**

"I now end my turn, which activates Solar Flare Dragon's ability, which each inflicts 500 points of direct-damage to your life-points!" each dragon fired a blast at Jason.

**Bastion: 800**

**Jason: 200**

"This it," Bastion said, "This next round will decide who wins the duel. And in case you're wondering, my Solar Flare Dragons protect all other pyro-type monsters from being attacked; and they're all pyro-type."

Jason knew that he will lose the rest of his life-points of he doesn't take Bastion's instead. But how can he attack with those dragons protecting each other? Even Knospe doesn't have enough points to do the job. "Wait a minute. My Woodsman!" he muttered, drawing his next card, "With Woodsman's effect, I can return the Polymerization card from my graveyard!" Jason add the card to his hand, "Now I activate Polymerization! By fusing Elemental Heroes Knospe and Woodsman, I create the Elemental Hero Gaia!" the flower-bud hero and the wooden hero fused to form the heavy-armored earth hero (ATK: 2200). "Next I activate Gaia's effect! By cutting a monster's ATK points in half, I can add that same amount to Gaia's ATK points!" Gaia slammed its fist into the ground, which erupted into dozens of stone spikes that struck Goka, piercing its shell, "Best of all...Goka's a Zombie-Type Monster, meaning I can attack him!"

Goka, the Pyre of Malice: (ATK: 1100)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3300)

"And with that, Elemental Hero Gaia attacks Goka!" Goka's flame was extinguished the moment Gaia smashed its giant gauntlets into the canister, smashing it to pieces.

**Bastion: 0 - LOSE**

**Jason: 200 - WIN**

As the holograms disappeared, Bastion stood aghast, staring into space muttering to no one, "This opponent's good! ...Or maybe I chose the wrong deck. Or my drawing skills were unlucky. There couldn't possibly be something wrong with my technique..."

"So, uh... Good game!"

"Oh!" Bastion gasped, forgetting he had company, "Was I talking to myself? Sorry. Let's duel again some time," he turned and left, "I promise I won't lose!"

"Okay, I guess. I'll see you tomorrow..." with no other reason to be here, Jason went on his way back to his room.

He was ready to retire as soon as he opened the door, when his PDA once again beeped. He opened the mail to receive a video message. His heart nearly sank when he saw the video's sender...

_"Hey, Slifer. If you don't want everyone thinking you're a deadbeat, then come to the Obelisk Arena. I'll give you another chance to make a fool of yourself."_

Chazz's video went dark as soon as the message ended. He just doesn't stop, does he? First he lied about their duel and embarrassed him in class, and now he's calling him out to duel just to make things worst! There's no doubt there will be an audience waiting there. Jason decided he had enough. If he wants to give a show, then Jason will give one.

* * *

><p>So he went back to the main building to the main dueling arena, and as he expected, the stands were littered with Obelisk Blue students. He stepped up to the arena to face Chazz on the other side, "And here I though you weren't gonna show! Hope you don't mind the extra company. They're just here for the show."<p>

"What do you want?" Jason demanded.

"What I want is you to stop spreading those ridiculous rumors about you beating me in that duel, that's what!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Jason argued, "I never told anyone anything! Especially when you and I both know what really happened that night!"

"Yeah; me trouncing you for being a Slifer peeping-tom!" Chazz then activated his duel-disk, "And I'm here to put you in your place here and now! So get out your deck and let's duel!"

Jason was getting tired of Chazz's lying and teasing. But this is a much better way to shut him up, "Then let's get started..." he prepped his deck and activated his duel-disk.

"Yeah, let's get started; so that everyone can see you lose, again!"

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Superiority goes first, slacker! I draw!" Chazz drew his sixth card, "First up, I summon V-Tiger Jet in ATK mode!" the green-winged, yellow tiger machine appeared (ATK: 1600), "Next, I place one card face-down!" a reverse-card appeared. "You're up!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Heat in ATK mode!" the fiery hero appeared, "And once he's on the field, he gains 200 more ATK points (ATK: 1800)! Attack his V-Tiger Jet!" Heat charged in with a flaming fist.

"I always knew you're an amateur! You've just set off my trap! Go, Security Orb!" after Chazz's trap opened, a small, two-armed orb appeared and shone a beam of light from its yellow lens onto Heat, who suddenly appeared weakened and dropped to his knees (DEF: 1200), "When a monster attacks one of mine, my Security Orb can force it into DEF mode!"

"Then I'll place 1 card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared, 'Well, at least I uncovered his trap. Now I can prepare for it.'

"One face-down isn't gonna save you!" Chazz drew his next card, "I summon W-Wing Catapult!" the blue areal platform appeared (ATK: 1300), "And the best part, is that W-Wing Catapult's a union-monster!"

"Union-what?"

"You really should pay attention in class, Slifer! A union-monster can equip itself as an equip-card onto certain other monsters to make it stronger! So by combining my W-Wing Catapult, V-Tiget Jet gains 400 ATK and DEF points!" the two machines combined into the same formation as they were in the practical exams (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2200), "And now I use their combined power to blow away that Elemental Hero Heat!" Heat was then destroyed by a barrage of rockets and missiles, "I suppose you're wondering why I combined two monsters into one, when it makes more sense to take out your monster with one and take a chunk out of your life-points with the other! Well, I'll just activate the quick-play Combination Attack and see if that brings up any ideas!" the two machines separated into their original single units, "Yeah, my Tiger Jet loses its 400-point boost, but now it's allowed to attack a second time! And its next target, is your life-points!" V-Tiger Jet flew towards Jason with its steel claws retracted. Jason shielded himself with his duel-disk from the metallic tiger's swipe.

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jason: 2400**

"But the fun's not over yet! Since I separated my W-Wing Catapult, he's treated as a new monster! So guess who get an extra 1300 points of damage!" Jason was then slammed with a barrage of bottle-rockets.

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jason: 1100**

"I knew it! That face-down card was just a big, fat bluff!" Chazz laughed, "Now then, I'll end my turn with a face-down!"

"My turn..." Jason drew his next card, "I set 1 monster in DEF mode," a set monster appeared, "That's it."

"That's it is right!" Chazz drew his next card, "Because this duel's about to end quick, hard and fast! And I'll start by summoning X-Head Cannon!" the twin-cannoned robot hovered to the field (ATK: 1800), "And with the power of Frontline Base, I summon Y-Dragon Head!" the metallic dragon was added (ATK: 1500). "And guess what! Y-Dragon Head's a union-monster as well! So by combining it with X-Head Cannon, this monster gives it 400 ATK and DEF points!" a compartment opened on the dragon's back for X-Head to attach by it's ball. X-Head Cannon now hovered by the flapping wings of Y-Dragon Head (ATK: 2200), "Not even your Woodsman can stand up to this kind of firepower! Attack!" the united machine attacked with the combined efforts of X-Head's twin cannons and Y-Dragon maw firing lightning. The attack headed straight for Jason's monster, which was revealed to by Elemental Hero Woodsman. The warrior the disappeared in a fiery explosion, "Hmph. Just as I thought. Just another weak monster. Now for... What?!" the smoke cleared to reveal Woodsman intact, "That monster has 2000 DEF points! It should've been destroyed!"

"Now this time! I activated the trap card Castle Walls!" Jason revealed his reverse-card, "Bow Woodsman is 500 DEF points stronger! And since they're higher than your monster's ATK points, you take the difference in damage!"

**Chazz: 3700**

**Jason: 1100**

"It's just a scratch! It won't make much difference! I switch my Tiger Jet to DEF mode and reequip it with W-Wing Catapult!" the two monster's recombined (DEF: 2200), "That's it for now!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "And thanks to Woodsman's special-ability, I can add a Polymerization card straight from my deck!" after adding the card to his hand, he settled down and shuffled his deck.

Chazz laugh, "I guess now we know why you shuffle like you duel!" the crowd joined in on the teasing.

Jason ignored them and put the deck back into his disk, "Now I use Polymerization to fuse Ocean with Knospe to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the flower-bud hero and merman hero merged into the frigid armored hero (ATK: 2500), "Next, I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in ATK mode!" the hovering wind hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And when he's summoned to the field, I can destroy a number of magic/trap cards up to the total number of heroes on my field other than Stratos! And since union-monsters are used as equip-cards, they still count as being magic cards! So they're not safe from this attack!" Stratos unleashed a twin barrage of wind from his winged jetpack.

"I activate my trap card, Formation Union!" as Chazz's reverse-card opened, X and Y separated right before the twister missed them both. Meanwhile, the second tornado ripped through the catapult, leaving the tiger jet hovering in mid-air. "With this card, I can separate a unionized monster into their original components!"

X-Head Cannon: (ATK: 1800)

Y-Dragon Head: (ATK: 1500)

V-Tiger Jet: (DEF: 1800)

"Stratos attacks Y-Dragon Head!" Stratos launched another twin barrage and destroyed the mechanical dragon.

**Chazz: 3400**

**Jason: 1100**

"Up next is X-Head Cannon! Attack!" Absolute Zero encased the robot into a large glacier and shattered it with one punch.

**Chazz: 2700**

**Jason: 1100**

"That's it for my turn."

"This isn't over yet, Slifer!" Chazz growled as he drew his next card, "I activate the spell Card of Demise! This lets me draw five card from my deck, then discard my entire hand in five turns! But this duel won't last that long!" he drew five more cards, "I set one monster in DEF mode! Then I end my turn with two face-downs!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "With Woodsman's effect, I add Polymerization from my graveyard! Now I use Polymerization to fuse Absolute Zero with Lady Heat from my hand! Now I summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two heroes merged into the fiery armored hero (ATK: 2600), "And when Absolute Zero leaves the field, all of your monsters are destroyed!" V-Tiger Jet and the set monster froze and shattered, "And with no more monsters to defend with, Stratos and Nova Master are free to attack your directly!" Jason's two heroes charged in for an attack.

"Now with Negate Attack they won't!" Chazz's trap card opened, and Jason's monster's were knocked back by a barrier, "Not only are you monsters' attack negated, but the battle-phase automatically ends! Care to try again?"

Jason silently groaned, "I end my turn."

"Just as I thought!" Chazz drew his next card, "I activate the spell card, Soul Release! This lets me pick out five card from the graveyard and remove then from play!" five cards spat from his duel-disk and Chazz showed Jason his cards, "And I'll use it to remove all the monsters you destroyed during the duel!" Jason then became confused; why would Chazz banish his own monsters when he could keep him from reusing his own...? "But don't think they're out of the game! I play the card that'll finish this duel! I activate the trap card, Return from the Different Dimension!" Chazz's reverse-card opened, "And my paying half my life-points, I can summon as many monster I removed from play!" all five of Chazz's machines returned, "Now I merge my five monsters to summon my ultimate machine! first I merge V and W into the VW-Tiger Catapult!" the tiger jet landed ontop of the platform (ATK: 2100), "Next I'll fuse X, Y and Z into the XYZ-Dragon cannon!" the three machines stacked together onto of each other (ATK: 2800), "Now I activate my Dragon Cannon's ability: by sending two card from my hand to the graveyard, I'll blow away you Stratos and Woodsman!" the dragon cannon fired away and destroyed Jason's weaker monsters, "Now I merge my two monsters into one powerful machine! I create the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!" the two machines fell apart before recombining into one giant robot (ATK: 3000).

"That's what Chazz used back at the exams..." Jason muttered.

"I'm glad you remembered him, Slifer!" Chazz said, "That means you knows his special-ability as well! Now he can remove from play the only monster you have on the field!"

Nova Master then vanished, "My Hero!"

"Now you're the one without any defense! But this time you don't have anything to save you against _this!_" the Dragon Catapult Cannon lowered its twin cannons and fired away. The beams ripped through the field and through Jason, making him fall to his knees as his life-points dropped to nothingness.

"NO! I lost..."

**Chazz: 2700 - WIN**

**Jason: 0 - LOSE**

The audience roared for their fellow Obelisk's victory. Chazz pranced around the field, pumping his fist for them, "Who's the winner?! Me! Who's the best?! Me! You see, Slifer! Deadbeats life you belong on their knees!" Jason felt so humiliated. He walked into Chazz's trap and he fell for it. Now he's become a laughingstock among a third of the student population! "That's what happens when some Slifer Deadbeat thinks he can go against an Obelisk Blue! Now who's up! Who wants to step it to the king?!"

"I do!"

Everyone, including Jason, look towards the entrance, another Slifer Red marched onto the platform. He had black hair like Jason's and jade eyes. Under his opened Slifer jacket, he wore a blue shirt with data line patterns on it and white shorts with sky-blue pockets. What was another interesting thing to note was that he was carrying a broom with a tag on it. Jason barely read the words 'If found, please return to' on the note, the name hidden by the boy's hand.

"This party's 'invite only'." Chazz said, "I don't remember letting another Slifer on the guest list!"

"You've been talking alot of talk, Chazz!" the Slifer said as he handed Jason his broom while pulling out a standard Duel Academy Duel Disk, "You wanna prove you're the man? Then how about you try your hand against me!" he snapped on his duel-disk and turned it on, the auto-shuffle activating.

"Well, why not!" Chazz agreed, "I guess we'll have another demonstration on the superiority of Obelisks."

"Hey, you there," the Slifer called out, and Jason looked up at the smile the Slifer was aiming towards him, "Why don't you take five? I'll take it from here."

"O-okay..." Not wanting to ask any questions, Jason jumped off the arena and let the Slifer take his place.

"Sure. Step up to the plate," Chazz said, "I'd be happy to knock down another Slifer."

The Slifer smiled, "Rock doesn't get knocked so easy."

"We'll see about that. DUEL!"

**Chazz: 4000**

**Rock: 4000**

"Superiority rules here! So I'll go first!" Chazz drew his sixth card, "I summon X-Head Cannon in ATK mode!" the twin-barreled robot appeared (ATK: 1800), "Next, I activate the continuous-spell Front-line Base; and use its effect to summon Z-Metal Tank!" the yellow crab-like tank appeared, (ATK: 1500), "In case you're new to this, Z-Metal's a union-monster that can combine with other monsters to make them stronger. So by equipping Z-Metal Tank, X-Head Cannon gains 600 ATK and DEF points!" a space opened on the tank's back and X-Head attached itself ontop of it (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2100), "I then place one card face-down and end my turn. Let's see you get past this!"

"With pleasure!" the Slifer Rock drew his next card, "So...you like the color blue? Well, you'll like this buddy of mine: (GT)(4) Mega Man(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)! The Blue Bomber!" a child-like robot boy in blue tights appeared via teleporting, wearing darker blue gauntlets, boots and helmet (ATK: 1000)

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Chazz smirked, "That monster doesn't even hold a candle to my X-Head Cannon!"

"Then I'll equip him with the (GT) Wood Man-Leaf Shield card!" Rock responded as Mega Man's suit became white while his armor became green, "Now I place 1 card face-down and end my turn! Have fun with your turn now, Blue Boy!"

"You just made the same mistake that other Slifer did!" Chazz drew his next card, "No face-down card's gonna help you win the duel! Especially when my X-Head Cannon can morph into a fusion-monster!" the merged monster began to surge violet lightning, "You see, I can remove certain machines on my field from play to form stronger fusion-monsters! And the best part, I don't need any Polymerization card to do it! Now I activate his newly-acquired special-ability! By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can destroy one spell/trap card that's face-down on the field!" Z's eye lit up and tore a laser through Rock's reverse-card, "Now with no sneaky trap to hide behind, my (8) XZ-Tank Cannon(6/ATK: 2400/ATK: 2100) can attack your monster with Twin Barrel Blast!" Chazz's machine fired away with it's mounted cannons from X and retracted cannons from Z's shells.

"I activate Mega-Man's special-ability! Go, Leaf Shield!" a set of four metal leaves formed together into a large, glowing leaf-shaped shield and held back the blast, "Sorry, Blue boy, but as long as Mega Man's equipped with Wood Man's Leaf Shield, I can stop one of your attacks once per turn! Also, tell your hunk of junk to be more careful or he'll get a leaf cut!"

"You just got lucky! Some weak monster isn't gonna win this for you! I end my turn!"

"Yeah, we'll see," Rock snorted as he drew his next card, "Maybe Mega Man could use a little help...So why not give it to him! Meet robot's-best-friend, (GT)(5) Rush(2/ATK: 200/DEF: 1000)!" a red metallic dog appeared (ATK: 200), barking happily at seeing Mega Man before growling at Chazz and his XZ-Tank Cannon, "And you know what? I'll take a page from your book and merge him with Mega Man into a fusion monster, without needing a Polymerization card!" Rush dematerialized into a mass of red light and coiled around Mega Man, where he reformed into a suit of red armor with a jetpack on the back, "I give you the strongest form my buddy here has: (6) Mega Man Booster(5/ATK: 2200/DEF: 2000)!"

"I hate to be the bearer of obvious news, but that monster's still not strong enough," Chazz sneered as Mega Man puffed his cheeks out in annoyance.

"It will be once I give him his normal weapon: the (GT) Mega Buster!" Mega Man's left hand retracted into a cannon, "And with this equip-spell in play, my buddy here gains an extra 800 ATK points (ATK: 3000). Now turn that tank into scrap with a Charge Shot!" Mega Man aimed his cannon and shot XZ with a barrage of small blast until the enemy machine exploded.

**Chazz: 3400**

**Rock: 4000**

"And to end my turn; I place 1 card face-down! Have fun, Blue Boy!" Rock finished before fiving Mega Man Booster, "And you, my buddy and his precious pup, are as awesome as ever."

"That was a lucky shot!" Chazz growled before he drew his next card, looked at it, and grinned, "And speaking of luck, I just drew a Magical Mallet card! So now I can shuffle it with as many card as I can from my hand and draw the same number of cards!" Chazz shuffled his entire hand and drew three cards, "Next I play the spell card Light of Redemption! By paying 800 life-points, I can add a light-attribute monster that's removed from play!" he added another card to his hand, "Now I summon that same monster, X-Head Cannon! And with Front-line Base's power, I also summon Y-Dragon Head!" the twin-cannon robot (ATK: 1800) and the metallic red dragon (ATK: 1500) appeared, "Now I remove both monsters from play, fusing them together to create the (9) XY-Dragon Cannon(6/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1900)!" the robot once again landed on top of the dragon (ATK: 2200), "Now I activate his special-ability! By discarding one card from my hand I can destroy one face-up spell/trap card on your side of field! That means Mega-Man's Mega Buster goes bye-bye!" the dragon spat out a surge of electricity and shorted out the cannon (ATK: 2200), "But since I don't want to waste my monster in a draw, I'm not gonna attack this turn. And with you're monster having the same ATK points neither can you."

**Chazz: 2600**

**Rock: 4000**

"Wanna bet?" Rock drew his next card, "Mega Man Booster, attack XY-Dragon Cannon!" Mega Man charged after the dragon cannon with the opposing monster vice-versa. The two monster met in the center of the field and the clash destroyed them both, "But don't think Mega Man's gone for good. Because when Booster's destroyed, Mega Man and Rush come back to the field!" Mega Man (ATK: 1000) and his canine partner (ATK: 200) returned, "Now I activate my face-down trap-card, Formation Union!" Rock's reverse-card opened, "And I think you know what happens next; since Rush is a union-monster, I can equip him to Mega Man and give him 1000 ATK and DEF points!" Rush jumped up and went through another change, this time transforming into a hover-board which the Blue Bomber hopped up on (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000), "And since you have no monsters on your field, I guess they're free to attack you directly!" Mega Man and Rush shot towards Chazz and knocked right into him.

**Chazz: 600**

**Rock: 4000**

"Finally I place 1 card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

"Finally, it's my turn!" Chazz drew his next card, "I use Pot of Greed to draw two cards!" he drew his cards, "And what luck: I drew two Dian Keito the Cure Master cards, increasing my Life Points by 2000!"

"Bah. You and the healing waters. Soda's the way to go for healing!" Rock snorted as a 'pleasantly plump' figure in light-blue robes appeared before Chazz, glowing as it restored his Life Points.

**Chazz: 2600**

**Rock: 4000**

"And, moving on, I activate the spell card Soul Release and remove the monsters in my graveyard from play!" he took four cards from his duel-disk, "And by paying half my life-points, I activate the trap card Return from the Different Dimension to summon V-Tiger Jet, W-Wing Catapult, X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head and Z-Metal Tank that I removed from play!" when Chazz's reverse-card opened, all five of Chazz's single-unit machines appeared one after another, "Now I combine them all to form my most powerful monster, the VWXYZ-Dragon Catapult Cannon!" the five monsters merged into two larger machines, which then formed one massive robot (ATK: 3000), "Now for his special-ability, which lets me remove any card on your field from play! And I choose your face-down card!" Rock's reverse-card vanished, "Now it's my turn to turn your monster to scrap! Attack!" the robot's cannon's fired down on Mega Man, whose hoverboard dog vanished in the blast leaving the Blue Bomber falling onto the floor. "Your monster may be protected by that union monster, but you still take damage!"

"Ouch...!" Rock flinched as he saw Mega Man end up face-first on the floor, "You okay?" he grinned once he got a thumbs up from Mega Man, the Monster's face still flat on the floor, "Attaboy!"

**Chazz: 1300**

**Rock: 3000**

"See? It's like I said, no matter how much you power up, a weak monster's a weak monster!" Chazz goaded, "Just like a Slifer Slacker's just that: a slacker! I beat that lesson into your little friend and now it's your turn! And on that topic, I'll give you a few moments with your monster before I send him away, too!"

"You'll be eating those words, Blue Boy!" Rock drew his next card, "I activate the spell Pot of Greed to draw 2 more cards!" he the drew two cards, "Next, let me introduce you to another friend of Mega Man; his sister be be exact! I summon (GT)(6) Roll Light(1/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)!" a little girl appeared around Mega Man's age, wearing a red dress and a green ribbon holding up her yellow hair (ATK: 500).

"You've got to be kidding me!" Chazz laughed, "You're gonna send a little girl to fight your battles?"

"And I'll also equip her with her (GT) Roll's Broom equip-spell!" a small wooden broom appeared in Roll's hand, "Alright, Roll, attack that Catapult Cannon!" Roll held the broom firmly in her hands and rushed towards the Dragon Catapult Cannon, only to stop at its feet and swat at it.

Chazz and the rest of the audience laughed at the girl's futile attempt, "I think you missed a spot there!" suddenly the broom snapped in two leaving the bottom half flying, "Are you done yet? The only good your so-called monster did was pick up dust!"

"That's not all it did!" Rock smiled. A small crack them appeared where Roll was hitting and spread across the giant robot's leg.

"What have you done to my monster!"

"When Roll fight with nothing but her broom, it does more than collect dust-bunnies; it also destroys the monster she battles! Plus, she's spared from being destroyed."

"That's not possible!" Chazz cursed as he watched his monster fall apart and collapse into a pile of scrapmetal, but not before Mega Man pulled Roll away from the debris, "My Dragon Catapult Cannon!"

**Chazz: 1300**

**Rock: 500**

"Now it's time for Mega Man to attack you directly!" Mega Man reapplied his cannon and charged it at Chazz as Roll pulled her left eyelid down and stuck her tongue out at Chazz.

"Go ahead and attack!" Chazz challenged, "I'll still have points to spare and then I'll summon something next turn to destroy your monsters and wipe out the rest of your life-points!"

"You won't get a next turn because I activate the quick-play Rush Recklessly!" Mega Man's energy began to leak from the barrel of his arm-cannon (ATK: 1700), "Now, Mega Man! Finish with Mega Burst!" The Blue Bomber then released the energy in a large, glowing sphere. Chazz only stood before he was knocked back by the colossal ball of energy.

**Chazz: 0 - LOSE**

**Rock: 500 - WIN**

"And to quote a buddy of mine I just made yesterday, that's game!" Rock smirked, "Yatta! Time to break the soda out!" Roll coughed just before she and Mega Man faded away at his Duel Disk's deactivation, "Uht! Uh...Wh-What I mean is...Aw to the scrapyard with it; I'm having a soda and you aren't stopping me!" he walked up to Chazz as he laid on his back, "And you, Blue Boy, are pathetic." he glared at all the Obelisks, "Not only him, but each and every boys-in-blue that's ever insulted the Slifer Red Dorm or Ra Yellow Dorm just because we ain't got anything fancy like you or aren't in the same dorm as you is pathetic! The 'Elite Duelists?' Ha! More like the 'elite bullies!'" he was about to look down before recalling something, "And another thing; check the facts first before listening to rumors dunces like Blue Boy here spread! Every duel's recorded and can be brought up at any time for students at the library!" he looked down at Chazz as the Obelisk Blue student growled at him, "Ooh~! Will you look at that. With a glare like that, you remind me of a ferret. Hey, that could be your new nickname: 'Ferret Face.'" he hopped off the stage and walked over to Jason before giving Chazz a two-fingered salute, "Yeah. Great beating you, Ferret Face! Let's have fun like this some other time," he turned to Jason and patted his shoulder, "You doing okay now, Daichi?"

"D-Daichi?"

"Yeah. I seen your monsters and how they relate to different elements, so 'Daichi' is what I'm gonna call you, just like I name all my friends," Rock grinned before adopting a serious look, "And I'm serious about looking up Duels in the library. I was sitting a row above you in Mrs. Crowler's class and decided to snoop a bit. Didn't show the time or anything like that, but it did have the location and how the duel went down. Aces, man, aces."

* * *

><p>After a long day Jason finally retired to his room. After settling in he received yet another message. The day's practically over so who could be calling this time? He opened the message and found out that Anais called, and he's needed tomorrow morning for a new assignment. Jason sighed. It looks like he's going to be busy tomorrow...<p>

"Okay! Okay! You won! Please! Just take anything you want and go!"

In a back alley somewhere that's full of fog, the hapless victim is facing a tall, masked man in a black trench coat and hat, holding a glowing golden pyramid on a cord. "What I want... is your soul!"

"No! Please! Show some mercy!"

The golden eye on the pyramid glowed, "'Some mercy'...? What is that?" The pyramid shone brightly with sparkling white light, the nameless victim moaned, and then fell silent, "Rest in peace, in the Shadow Realm," he walks over to the fallen duelist, whose cards have been scattered on the ground, then halted at the sound of his ringing cell phone, then answered it, "...Duel Academy? ...Tomorrow night? I'll be there."

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) UFO Turtle  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 FIRE monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck, in face-up Attack Position.  
><strong>

**(2) Solar Flare Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Pyro/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

**Effect: While you control another Pyro-Type monster, this card cannot be attacked. During each of your End Phases: Inflict 500 damage to your opponent.  
><strong>

**(3) Goka, the Pyre of Malice  
><strong>

**Stats: [Zombie/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 1900)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

******Effect: If you control a FIRE monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). When you do: Target 1 FIRE monster you control; destroy that target. During each of your Standby Phases: Special Summon 1 "Fireball Token" (Pyro-Type/FIRE/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 100) in Defense Position. You can Tribute 1 other FIRE monster; this card gains 500 ATK, until the End Phase.******

**(4) Mega Man  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**(5) Rush  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Union] LV: 4 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 2100)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this monster on the field, you can equip it to 'Mega Man' as an Equip Spell Card OR unequip the Union equipment and Special Summon this Card in face-up Attack Position. While equipped to a monster by this card's effect, increased the equipped monster's ATK and DEF by 1000. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.)  
><strong>

**(6) Roll Light  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 1 (ATK: 500/DEF: 500)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: ****This card cannot be targeted in battle as long as there is one other monster on your side of the Field.**

**(7) Mega Man Booster  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 2100)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect:  
><strong>

**(8) XZ-Tank Cannon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2100)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: "X-Head Cannon" + "Z-Metal Tank"  
>This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by removing from play the above cards on your side of the field. (You do not use "Polymerization"). This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard. Discard 1 card from your hand to destroy 1 face-down Spell or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field.<br>**

**(9) XY-Dragon Cannon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 1900)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

****Effect: "X-Head Cannon" + "Y-Dragon Head"  
>This card can only be Special Summoned from your Extra Deck by removing from play the above cards on your side of the field. (You do not use "Polymerization"). This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Graveyard. Discard 1 card from your hand to destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card on your opponent's side of the field.<strong>**

* * *

><p><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>**


	6. No Trespassing

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Beta-Readers: Gammatron**

* * *

><p>Jason woke up early this Friday morning and got ready for today's assignment. After following the inlet connected from the lake, he found the Obelisk Blue's girls dorm. There Anais was waiting near the entrance with a wheel-barrel next to her along with a bunch of plants.<p>

"Alright, I need you to take these trees over to the front yard and plant them at the edge of the lake," she instructed, "Just make sure they're each two yards away from the water and two yards apart from each other. That should cover all the trees."

Jason looked towards the saplings and saw there were about 20 or 30 of them. "You want me to plant all those trees?"

"What'd I just say?!" Anais barked, "Yes, all of them. Now get to work." she then left for the school.

All morning Jason went to work on the small trees, forming a perimeter from the lakeside. As he worked he could hear the contempt from the student who left their dorm and walked by.

"Hey! That's that Slifer who got beaten by Chazz yesterday!"

"Did he actually get Ms. Fontaine to let him work here?!"

"I heard he's been doing odd jobs at the academy to make up for losing his tuition check. He's even delivering our mail!"

"What are those teachers thinking! I wouldn't let some stranger touch my mail! Especially a Slifer Slacker like that!"

"I bet he's doing this just to sneak into the girl's dorm! And her I hope Chazz taught him a lesson already!"

"There's no way a Slifer could beat an Obelisk! That only happens if they're extremely lucky or they're cheating!"

"He no one special. He's just another Slifer! I could beat him hands down!"

Jason mentally groaned as more girls scorned him behind his back as they past by...

* * *

><p>An hour and a half later, Jason finally finished and slumped down near the edge of the lake.<p>

"Enjoying the scenery?" Jason shot back to see Chakra standing over behind him.

"I thought you'd be in class?" he said.

"I did most of my work ahead of time," Chakra replied as she sat beside him, "It makes a good excuse when Fontaine came over and asked me to check on your work."

"Are you sure it's a good idea to be around me?" Jason asked, not turning away from the water.

"That's right. Practically everyone in Obelisk is giving you a hard time," Chakra pointed out, "I still can't believe he'd cause all that trouble for just one person just because you beat him in a duel..."

The Slifer looked to her, surprised. "How'd you know..."

"I saw your Gaia destroy Chazz's monster," she said, "I was the last thing that happened before you got washed up to shore. Between the motorboat and the tidal waves, you guys were making so much noise it caught half my dorm's attention. I'm actually quite surprised when you defeated Crowler in that practice exam, too."

Jason turned away, "It think I was just lucky that time."

"Then I guess that means you're the luckiest duelist in school."

"...You know, I can't help but wonder why someone from the blue dorm would be so nice to me, even though I'm from the red dorm."

"You say that like it's supposed to mean something..." Chakra stood up, "You should be getting to class before Anais finds you sitting around, don't you think?"

"Oh! Right, I better let her know I'm done!" Jason jumped back up, "And uh, thank you; for the talk, I mean. I'm not really used to talking to people, not even with kids from my own dorm."

"No problem," Chakra smile, "Just remember, I'm happy to lend an ear when I'm free..."

* * *

><p>After getting his okay from Anais, Jason went back to his dorm to clean up before going into the main building for class. As he got closer to his classroom, he could see someone poking their head through the door. Jason tapped is shoulder and Crowler shrieked, pulling his head out. When Crowler saw it was him he got angry, "Jason Hutchins! What are you doing out here! You were supposed to be in class!"<p>

"I-I was called out to d-do some work..." Jason stammered, "Anais told me yesterday!"

Crowler calmed down and put his hands on his hips, "Well, it's about time you showed up. I need to speak you in my office."

Jason followed Crowler to his office. When they got there, Jason sat down. "So what do you need me for...?"

"It has come to my attention that someone will try to sneak out late tonight to look for the forbidden dormitory." Crowler said as he sat behind his desk.

"Forbidden dormitory...?" Jason asked, puzzled.

"I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. There's an extra dorm that was shut down due to being infamous of causing people to vanish."

"But if it's forbidden, why don't they just tear it down instead?"

"That's irrelevant. What you should know is that as your next work-study assignment, you're to patrol the campus, catch whoever is breaking curfew tonight and report them to me."

"But isn't that what security guards are for?" Jason asked, "I mean, why me?"

"Because the people attempting to sneak out tonight may be staying as the very same dorm as you. That's why I need you to look our for anyone leaving the Slifer dorm after curfew for any reason at all."

"But how do you know they're not from Obelisk or Ra...?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Flashback...<strong>_

_Students from the room next door were at the Slifer dorm's cafeteria telling scary stories, when their headmaster showed up wanting to tell a story of his own._

_"No one talks about it, but there was once a special dorm set at the edge of the forest," Banner said, "It was shut down after several students mysteriously went missing."_

_"Where'd they all go?" Syrus gulped._

_"Well, that's the mystery of it, but the rumor was that it had something to do with shadow games."_

_Chumley panicked, "Thanks, you can stop now!"_

_"You see, kids, shadow games are duels played with powerful mystical items."_

_"Millennium Items, right?" Jaden scoffed, "I've heard about this, but it's not true."_

_Banner laughed, "Yes, that is what most people say. But I find that most stories? Well, they generally have to come from somewhere," his peeved pet cat suddenly mewed, "Well, I think that is my cue to get back home." the students bid him farewell as he left the room._

_"You know, there *is* this creepy building I saw in the forest once..."_

_"Aw, *sweet*! Then you'll lead the way for us tomorrow night!" Jaden suggested._

_"Wha...!"_

_"Wait a sec! Whaddaya mean *us*?!" Chumley_

_"It'll be fun! Yeah!" Jaden said._

_"Yeah... *fun*..."_

_"Aw, *man*..."_

_However, Crowler heard it from outside the window, "This is just the opportunity I've been waiting for!" '*I* think it's time the shadow games made a comeback! Millennium Items and all!'_

* * *

><p>"Also irrelevant. Just know that if you do a good job, and I'll consider giving you a passing grade for this semester."<p>

"Wow, that's very... generous of you."

"Then I guess you won't be saying I never gave you anything. Now then, if you would be so kind as to return to class..."

"Alright, then..." I'll let you know if I hear anything." Jason stood up and left the office.

With him gone, Crowler snickered to himself, "That takes care of that. Now for phase two..." he then pressed the button on the intercom, "Send in the next student."

* * *

><p>Jason went straight to his room after class. He needed to think about what he should do. Who would want to go to the forbidden dorm and why? And if they really do come from here, should he just rat them out? If he knew who they were then maybe he could talk them out of this.<p>

"It works! Oh sweet Horakethy, it works!" were the shouts of maniacal glee heard in the back of the Slifer Red Dorm Jason heard through the window.

He opened it and saw Rock chuckling in excitement as he gazed upon a strange contraption before him. Various tubes, pipes, barrels, and strange items were all interconnected, ending in a spout. Slowly, Rock reached out and turned the spout on, pouring a brown/black mixture into the paper cup below it, bubbles of carbonation emanating from it. Once it was full enough, he turned it off. Slowly, he picked it up and took a sip before doing a spit-take.

"Blast it all!" Rock snapped, "How'd _caffeine_ of all things get into the mixture?! It's _Root Beer_! It's supposed to be caffeine-free!"

"Hey, Rock!" the Slifer Red paused in his ranting to see Jaden running up, "What's going on?"

"Kid Hero! Great ta see ya! I'd like to say it was all fine and dandy, but this soda maker I made's putting _caffeine_ into my Root Beer!" Rock replied as he glared at his contraption.

"A Root Beer machine?" Jaden asked with a grin, "Awesome!"

"Not just Root Beer, buddy. Any flavor of soda," Rock chuckled in glee, "And once I get it working properly, Slifer Red will finally have a soda machine for their Dorm like the others! Dang Obelisks and their hoarding of the school money..."

"Huh?" Jaden tilted his head as Rock began to work on the machine.

"Don't worry about it," Rock waved him off, "So any other reason you came by while I'm trying to make Slifer a better place for all of us?"

"Have you heard about the Forbidden Dorm?" Jaden asked.

"...Forbidden Dorm?" Rock asked, "Do tell."

"My friends and I are gonna go check it out. Wanna come with?" Jaden asked.

"...Do you think it has a soda machine?" Rock asked.

"Who knows?" Jaden shrugged.

"...I'll check it out," Rock nodded, "If I can salvage a few parts, it may help me with this piece of crud," he turned it on once more and tried the batch...only to spit out the taste of Root Beer and orange soda away from him and Jaden, "That's it! You can tell your buddies to get ready for that trip!"

"Sweet! We'll be heading out once the sun goes down," Jaden informed.

"Yeah, yeah," Rock waved him off before he turned to see the face of a cat.

"Meow."

"Gah!" Rock jumped back before the cat gave another meow, the man holding the cat laughed a little as he petted its head, "Jeeze, Professor Radar, must you do that?" Rock demanded the Headmaster of Slifer Red.

"It was rather amusing, to admit," Professor Banner replied before he took out an envelope, "I was hoping you could deliver this to Ms. Fontaine as a 'thank you' for offering Jason help with his work-study."

"Of course I'd do that for ya!"

"Good. I sent a message to her a few minutes ago and she's in her dorm at the moment. She said that you'd give this to one of her students at the entrance; her name is Mindy," Banner informed, "And once you come back, you can continue working on this...um..."

"It's a soda machine, sir," Rock deadpanned.

"Ah! I see. May I?" Banner asked.

"Go ahead. Be careful, though, the flavor at the moment is..." Rock began as Banner took a quick drink.

"Oh! Orange Soda mixed with Root Beer. How did you know combining sodas was my favorite flavor?" Banner asked, making Rock freeze.

_'He...He likes the stuff?!'_ Rock thought in shock and disgust before shaking it off, "Okay. I...I'll just head off now. Bye!" he sped off before Banner could say anything else, _'Note to self: make new soda machine and give him the old one!'_

Jason had seen it all from his dorm room window. That gives him an idea: if he could get to that forbidden dorm before they do, he could scare them off thinking he's a security guard. That way, they'll run back here not wanting to be caught. Yeah... That seems to be a good idea...

That night, Duel Academy's lighthouse at the end of its concrete pier shines beams out into the night. Crowler stood by the lighthouse when the fearsome individual with the golden pyramid joins him. "So you're the one they call 'the Shadow Duelist'."

"My opponents call me many things, most of which are hard to discern through their shrieks of sheer terror," the figure stated as fog spread around his feet, "But if you want to know so badly, you may call me Titan. now enough small talk. What's the job?"

"I want you to frighten someone so intensely, that he leaves this academy and never comes back! Up to the challenge?"

"Of course. I never turn my back to a challenge!"

Crowler darts over to the side and the Shadow Duelist instantly turns to face him. and then tried again and again. As he said, the Shadow Duelist never turned his back toward Crowler. "Oh. My my. you _are_ good."

"I'm better than good. And I'll prove it, not just by scaring this someone..." Titan zoomed backward and away as though hovering, the fog follows him. "but by banishing him tot he Shadow Realm!"

Crowler scoffed, "Well, all right, if you insist."

* * *

><p>"...I mean, ya <em>could<em> look at it as being lost. Or, you could just say we found a couple places where it's not."

Jaden, Syrus, Chumley and Rock are all carrying flashlights, walking along the forest's pathway.

"Yeah, well we've been 'finding' places for over an hour now," Chumley defended, "But then I guess it could be worse for Sy. We could be near a lake of _dirty swamp water_!" Rock laughed from Chumley's spooky joke.

"Very funny," Syrus glared, "But you were the one who refused to _bathe_ 'cause you were scared of the bath water last night!"

"Oh, dude! That's _you_?!" Rock exclaimed as he waved a hand over his face, his nose scrunched up, "I thought there was a dead skunk nearby or something!"

"Well, maybe if you cleaned it once in a while it wouldn't be so swampish!" Chumley ignored Rock as he and Syrus glared at each other.

"Maybe if you grew up and started to take showers..."

* * *

><p>Jason decided to get this over with as soon as the sun was set. Without making a sound, he left his room and snuck out from his dorm for the forest. Once there he searched around with the flashlight left by someone who was in his room before him. It's been two hours since he walked around the forest. He was told the dorm was in the west side of the forest... Or was it the east? He can't remember. Seeing no sign of open meadow, Jason officially declared himself lost.<p>

The only thing he could use to mark the land was an old well. As he walked closer he found something shiny stuck between the stone foundation. He pulled it out and saw it was a duel-monster card. It looks old and worn, he was surprised it wasn't waterlogged. What's it doing lying around here...?

Jason jumped at the sound of bushes rustling near him. When he pointed the light in that direction, he was surprised to see Chakra nearby, "Uh..."

"Maybe you can take this time to explain what you're doing here?" Chakra asked with a stern look.

"I-I was just here because Crowler wanted me to patrol the island!" Jason hastily confessed, "He said someone would try to look for some forbidden dorm that's around here!"

Chakra raised an eyebrow, "That's exactly what he told me earlier today."

"Wait, did he mention anything about me?"

"No, but he did mention someone from the Slifer dorm would try to sneak out tonight."

"That's what he told me..."

"You think he meant for both of us to be on the lookout?"

"If he did, he sure didn't tell me."

* * *

><p>"Hey, check <em>this<em> out!" the beam from Jaden's flashlight falls on a red flower left at the bottom of a gatepost.

"Check out what's behind it!" Syrus pointed past the posts to the abandoned dorm.

"There's probably lots a' ghosts there!" Chumley whimpered.

"Relax, guys, there's nobody here," but Jaden was proven wrong when they hear a foot step on a fallen stick, causing Chumley and Syrus freak out. Jaden turned and watched Alexis stand into his light. "Oh. Hi, Alexis."

"Gah! I-It's you!" Rock exclaimed in fear as the blond glared at him.

"You again?" Alexis frowned.

"I-I can explain, Hot Lips..." Rock gulped before flinching at the glare.

"Shut it, pervert," Alexis scowled.

Rock slumped. It wasn't his fault that he had a bad reputation with tripping. He certainly wasn't going to blame his mother on it despite the awkward tripping problem being inherited from her side of the family in the line of males. Still...Mindy's ample D-9 Cups were as soft as she was beautiful to the Mega Man Duelist.

"Alexis? What're _you_ doing here?" Syrus asked, as he and Chumley weighed down on Jaden, giving Rock his needed distraction to race off towards the Abandoned Dorm to start searching.

"That's funny," Alexis frowned, "I was about to ask _you guys_ the very same thing."

"We heard about the Abandoned Dorm and wanted to check it out." Jaden answered.

"Well that's not very intelligent. Don't you know that kids have a way of disappearing around here?"

"Aw, come on, that's just some urban myth!"

"No it's not; believe me, I know. Why else would the Academy make this place _completely forbidden_? They catch you here and they'll expel you, Jaden."

"Yeah, sure, okay. So then why're _you_ here?"

"I have my reasons, that's why!" Alexis snapped, causing Jaden to recoil and hold his hands up a bit.

"Whoa, Alexis, no need to _snap_. We just came here to look around, but hey, we'll stay outta your way, don't worry about it."

"Look... it's just that..." She turns away.

"Just that what?" Syrus asked.

"One of the kids who disappeared here... was my brother."

Jaden looked away and stared at the flower, "That explains the rose!" he looked back to find that Alexis walked away.

"If Alexis's brother really disappeared, then the rumors aren't just rumors...!" Syrus whispered, "I say we go back, Jaden."

"Yeah? Well... I say we go in!" Jaden replied.

"What?!"

"See ya in a few, Syrus!" everyone else walked toward the front door, leaving Syrus at the gate. "Don't 'disappear' on us!" Jaden laughed, "Rock, you went in without us!"

"Hey! I'd rather avoid a lady who clobbered me for her friend because I tripped thank you very much!" Rock's voice argued inside, "Hallelujah! Praise teh Big Lady above, I've found a soda machine!"

"_Disappear_?!" Syrus was torn; go inside, or stay out here alone? "Ohhh...! Wait up!"

As he scrambled after his friends. Alexis watched from behind a tree, _'I hope Jaden knows what he's doing.'_ She turnrf to leave, only to run into a big, black shadow that crept up behind her...

* * *

><p>Jaden and the others stood in the main hall of the Abandoned Dorm, their flashlights trained on the walls. Rock chuckled happily as he had managed to strap an intact soda machine onto his back. The mysterious building had seen better days. The walls cracked with age, the wooden furniture lie smashed and broken on the floor, beneath a fancy chandelier on which over half the sparkling beads had fallen off.<p>

"This place is sweet! Ya know, a little paint, a couple of cardboard boxes, maybe a throw rug..." Jaden grinned, "and we could so totally move in here!"

"I'll second that, Kid Hero," Rock nodded, "But I'm keeping this soda machine! The Slifer Red Dorm needs one and I _will_ provide it!"

"What?! Are you two kidding? This is even worse than the Slifer Dorm!" Syrus' flashlight beam falls on a wall full of strange diagrams. "I mean, what's all this stuff on the walls?"

"D'you think it has somethin' to do with the Shadow Games?" Chumley wondered as Rock leaned in a bit.

"It's...Hieroglyphics?" Rock pondered.

"Hey... I think this shows the seven Millennium Items. How cool..." Jaden's light falls on a picture of a student with a blue and white Academy blazer, and long brown hair, "And that shows someone I've never seen before."

* * *

><p>As Jason and Chakra continued to walk through the forest, he explained his meeting with Crowler and what he planned to do, "That's why I want to scare them off, so I could get them out of trouble.<p>

"I have to say, that's quite noble of you," Chakra admitted, just when they left the forest into a dirt path.

Jason turned away blushing, "I don't know; I'm not exactly anyone special..."

"Don't be like that. I think it's nice of you to keep them out of trouble. Anyone else would just turn each other in just for fun."

"Well, I still have to find that dorm before someone else does."

"I'm sure you won't have any trouble about that, because here we are." they stopped right in front of the run-down forbidden dorm.

Jason looked around, "Looks like no on else is here. Good."

Chakra was about to agree when she found their shadows stretch in another's light. She spun around and saw two more obelisk students step into her light. "Mindy? Jasmine?!"

Along with Mindy whom Jason met a couple weeks ago, there's also another Obelisk Blue girl with shoulder-length amber hair, who lowered her flashlight.

"Chakra! What are you doing here?" the brunette demanded.

"Um, remember when I told you about the rounds I'm making...? Turns out I'm not the only one out here." Chakra gestured towards Jason, in which Jasmine's face turned sour.

"You're that Slifer from this morning! Figures you'd be causing more trouble!" Jasmine pointed at Jason, "Just like that pervert who groped Mindy!"

The black-haired Obelisk Blue girl blushed as she recalled that. She had seen the turtle he had tripped on, yet he didn't since he was pulling out a letter from Professor Banner to Ms. Fontaine. Shame the other two didn't see that.

"He's not the one causing trouble, Jasmine!" Chakra defended, "In fact, it turns out we're out here for the same purpose."

"I'm sure he gave you a very convincing excuse!" Jasmine scoffed, "Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence?"

"It's no coincidence. He was the first to say Doctor Crowler sent him out here, before I did!"

"Excuse me for asking..." Jason cut in, "But what are you doing out here this late?"

"We were looking for-" Mindy began.

"What we do in our spare time is none of your business!" Jasmine cut Mindy off.

"Jason _does_ bring up a good point," Chakra said, "What _are_ you girls doing out here past curfew?"

Jasmine sighed, "Alright... If you must know-" suddenly a loud shriek cut her off. "What was that?!"

"It sounded like it came from the Abandoned Dorm!" Mindy realized.

"It sounded like Alexis!" with that, both girls ran into the building with Chakra soon following.

* * *

><p>"Sweet nibblets! What was that?!" Rock exclaimed as he looked around before gulping, "Please tell me it wasn't a g-g-g-ghost..."<p>

"That sounded like Alexis!" Syrus cringed.

"Let's go!" Jaden shouted as he started to lead everyone into the hallway where they came from.

"Why do we have to go after Hot Lips for?! You know she'll just call me a pervert and beat me up after this!" Rock groaned as they ran down the stairs and stopped, Rock hitting Chumley from behind before Skyrus bumped into his behind, "Hey! Watch the soda machine!"

Jade picked up a single card he saw on the floor, the card being a Fusion Monster that resembled a figure skater, "This is Alexis's card!"

Rock peeked over and blushed. It wasn't because of the figure the monster had, but the long, flowing, black hair. He liked girls with black hair and that seemed to be a lot of black hair. If he wasn't sure Alexis would pummel him, he would have asked to trade for that card. He froze, feeling the pressure of a broom pressing on his head for a few seconds. He quickly shook his head, trying to not entice the anger of the wielder of the broom.

"Well, there's only one way that she coulda gone!" Chumley points to a more dark, less hospitable hallway ahead, which was floored in cobbled stone and its stone walls boarded up with wood.

* * *

><p>"Wait up!" Jason called, slowly behind, as the girls hastily searched the ground floor for any signs.<p>

"Over there! Who's that?!" Chakra spotted a shadow moving around a corner and the girls quickly followed it.

Jason barely caught up when they stepped back outside, on the other side of the dorm. The back looked like a flowerbed-decorated courtyard long abandoned. The girls stopped in the center of the courtyard to catch their breath, while Jason slumped over just outside the center, wheezing. Out on the opposite end stood a figure under a cloaked hood.

"Alright, whoever you are! I wanna know where you're hiding Alexis, and I wanna know _right now_!" Jasmine demanded.

The figure only smiled under its hood as a large book passed through the cloak. It had a leather cover with gold bindings, and a solid-gold eye at the center of the cover. As soon as the book opened, a giant circle lit right under the girls.

"What's going on?!" Mindy cried.

"I...suddenly feel weak..." Chakra moaned. Soon the girls fell off their feet; and floating over them were four glowing balls of blue light.

"What just happened...?" Jason stood up and confronted the figure, "What'd you do to them?!"

Eventually they reached a large stone cavern etched in strange designs. Jaden was the first to walk into the fog and find Alexis unconscious in a cloth-padded sarcophagus, which is leaning against the wall. "Alexis!"

"She can't hear you. She's far away, locked in the Shadow Realm."

"Who's there?"

The tall figure rose straight from the mist on the ground. "Your worst nightmare come true."

"Oh, gimme a break."

"Then let me prove it to you; in a shadow game!"

"We gotta get Alexis back!" Syrus called.

"Yeah, hand 'er over right now, or you'll be sorry!" Jaden swore.

"The only way I will free her is if you beat me at a shadow game."

"He's not lookin' at _me_, is he?'' Chumley whimpered.

"Look, I'm not afraid of dueling you, but shadow games don't _exist_." Jaden said, stepping forward.

"The others didn't believe in the Shadow Games either," the figure stated, "But they were soon convinced. For you see, when you lose in a shadow game, you don't just pay with your life-points; you pay with your soul."

"So _you're_ the one behind all those disappearances. Well you're not gettin' us, especially Alexis!"

"Unless you win, she's mine forever, as will you be."

"In that case, did anyone even think to bring a duel-disk?!" Rock asked; Chumley rummaged in a backpack, bringing out a duel-disk and traded it in for Jaden's flashlight. "I guess you did."

"Alright, get your game on!" Jaden walked to a spot opposite the Shadow Duelist.

"Shadow Game, that is!" Titan activates his duel gear; he wears his deck-slot on his chest, similar in style to Crowler's duel vest, and the thick metal sleeve on his arm unfolds a surface on which to summon cards.

Jaden slots his deck and activates his Academy-style duel disk, glancing over at Alexis with determination. "Just hang on, Alexis. I'll get you out."

"DUEL!"

**Jaden: 4000**

**Titan: 4000**

"Prepare, you fool, to enter into the shadows," Titan drew his sixth card, "I summon (1) Infernal Queen Archfiend(3/ATK: 900/DEF: 1500), in ATK mode!" Jaden watched as a winged skeletal creature with purple hair appear, wearing a skulled crown and purple robes (ATK: 900), "An Archfiend monster...?"

"Yes, and now that this card's out, each and every monster with 'Archfiend' in its name gains one thousand ATK points."

Infernal Queen Archfiend: (ATK: 1900)

"Uh, yeah, actually I already knew that," Jaden smirked, "And I also know that to keep those Archfiends on the field, you've gotta pay life-points during every standby-phase of your turn."

Titan smirked, "No I don't. Not after activating the field-spell card Pandemonium." A slot opens up on Titan's duel-disk for the card, and it glowed. The appearance of the chamber altered drastically. Bony skeletons of vicious fiends loom over them, their bones forming the architecture of the arena. It now looks as though they're standing, inside the ribcage of a fearsome monster. The center of the field lights the scene with an ambiently dim golden yellow, enough to turn the stone and bone a sinister rust-red, "And it doesn't just change the scenery; it changes the rules. Now I don't have to pay any life-points for my Archfiends, and, if they're ever destroyed outside of a battle I get to put another Archfiend right into my hand! I know what you're thinking: your little friend's fate is all but sealed..." The lid of Alexis' coffin moves on its own and seals her inside the sarcophagus, then bony tentacles from the field wrap around the coffin and it sinks into the ground. "Well, you're right."

"Alexis!" Jaden cried.

"That's not fair!" Chumley shouted.

"That's just playing dirty!" Rock added.

"Yeah, what've you done!" Syrus demanded.

"The same thing I will do to the all of _you_, should you continue to pester and annoy me!" Titan threatened.

"Hey! Just leave my friends outta this!" Jaden warned and drew his sixth card, 'I don't have any card that can go up against 1900 ATK points. But maybe...' "Elemental Hero Avian. I summon you out in ATK mode!" the feather-winged hero appeared (ATK: 1000), "And, I'm gonna throw down 2 face-downs as well!" Jaden concluded with a couple of reverse-cards.

"Too bad you won't have a chance to use them," Titan drew his next card, "I summon (2) Terrorking Archfiend(4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1500) in ATK mode!" a red-muscled archfiend appeared wearing a bulbed crown and red cape (ATK: 2000), "Now you have two vicious Archfiends to contend with. And, thanks to the special-ability of the Infernal Queen... the Terrorking's ATK points automatically increase by 1000, making him an even more fiendish force to be reckoned with!"

Terrorking Archfiend: (ATK: 3000)

"3000 ATK points?!"

"That's right, and now I'm going to put them all to use! Terrorking Archfiend! Attack Avian! Locust Storm Barrage!" Terrorking's chest cavity opens up and out swarms a cloud of nasty-looking winged insects, straight for Avian.

"No way! You forgot about my face-down card, Mirror Gate!" one of Jaden's reverse-cards opened, "This trap card causes our monsters to trade places, my Avian for your Terrorking. So now, all those 3000 ATK points are gonna be goin' to work for _me_!"

"You really thought you could bait me into a trap? Look around you and tell me who's trapped."

"Whaddaya mean?"

"I mean your trap won't work against my Terrorking! It simply activates his special-ability, an ability that will determine our monsters' fate by way of chance!"  
>Six small, numbered spheres rose from the glowing center's pool of hot lava. They cluster in the air on Titan's side of the field then spread out in a circle. "You see, when he's targeted by an opponent's effect, Terrorking's special-ability gives me a gambling chance. A number between one and six is selected at random; and if it happens to be a two or a five, then your trap's destroyed and Archfiend stays to fight on <em>my<em> side. So. Let's spin the wheel of fate and see what happens, shall we?" A small flame begins in the center of the circle of spheres, then flares out to all of them, then lights up only the first, then the second, traveling around the circle clockwise.

"It's okay. The odds are way in Jaden's favor." Chumley said.

"You flunked math, Chumley." Syrus stated.

"No, I got a 54!"

The fireball raced around the circle, and finally stopped at... "Two. It seems as though the chance has favored the Terrorking Archfiend. Mirror Gate is shattered! Locust Storm Barrage, finish him!" the locusts devoured the winged hero.

**Jaden: 2000**

**Titan: 4000**

"Well, that stinks. But at least it activates my other trap, Hero Signal!" Jaden's other reverse-card rose, "When my monster is destroyed in battle, this trap card allows me to automatically summon a monster from my deck or my hand, with 'Elemental Hero' in its name. And I summon Elemental Hero Clayman! Defense mode!" the rock-armored hero appeared (DEF: 2000).

"Oh, way to duel!" Syrus cheered.

"That Clayman should keep Jaden safe!" Chumley hoped.

"...I don't think so. At least not from _this_!" Titan holds up his golden pyramid, and it glows brightly, causing Jaden and the audience to shield themselves.

* * *

><p>"Tell me! Who are you; and what have you done to my friends?!" Jason demanded.<p>

The figure only chuckled as the glowing orbs floated near them, "Isn't it obvious? I extracted their souls from their bodies."

"Their souls...?"

"Yes. I meant to include all of you, but perhaps you just gave me an idea: how about we duel for them?"

"Duel?"

"That's right. It's quite simple; if you win, I'll return these souls to their vessels. If I win, I get to keep their souls _and_ yours."

Jason doesn't know if what this person saying is true or not. All he knows is that these girls couldn't have fell unconscious like that. And there's only one solution to this problem. He took his duel-disk from his backpack and slipped it on. "Let's duel..."

"You're about to regret not running away," the figure said, "I forgot to mention that in this duel, the stakes are higher; and the stage will me much darker!" the eye on the figure's open book emitted a bright light that forced Jason to shield themselves. Once it died down, the Slifer found them both standing in a pool of black fog, over a thick veil of black smoke. "We'll be dueling in the Shadow Realm..."

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Infernalqueen Archfiend**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV4 ATK/ 900 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: The controller of this card pays 500 Life Points during each of his/her Standby Phases (this is not optional). When this card is targeted by the effect of a card controlled by your opponent, when resolving the effect, roll a six-sided die. If the result is 2 or 5, negate the effect and destroy the opponent's card. As long as this card remains on the field, during each Standby Phase increase the ATK of 1 Archfiend monster by 1000 points until the End Phase.**

**(2) ****Terrorking Archfiend**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV4 ATK/ 2000 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: You cannot Normal Summon or Flip Summon this card unless you have an Archfiend Monster Card on your side of the field. The controller of this card pays 800 Life Points during each of his/her Standby Phases (this is not optional). When this card is specifically designated as a target of the effect of a card controlled by your opponent, when resolving the effect, roll a six-sided die. If the result is 2 or 5, negate the effect and destroy the opponent's card. Also, negate the effect of an Effect Monster that is destroyed by this monster as a result of battle.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	7. Game Over

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and the shadow-duelist.**

**Beta-Readers: Gammatron, MewStar0013**

* * *

><p>"You didn't answer my question!" Jason said, "Tell me who you are!"<p>

"I'm known by many names; possessed many identities..." The figure chuckled, reaching for its fastener, "It's so easy for me to forget, so I don't really bother with a name anymore," The fastener loosened and the shroud collapsed. The figure became a girl close to Jason's age, with long black pigtails and bowl-cut bangs. She wore druid-styled robes of black leather and transparent mesh with a long black cape, pieced together by golden accents. A small golden crown rested on the crown of her head, "But if it's an introduction you want, then you may call me Calypso. That's the name you'll be taking with you once I win this duel."

"But where's your duel-disk...?"

"Duel-disk? I don't need any high-tech trinket to duel. I only need this: the Book of Lost Millennium," Calypso held the old book and the eye designed on the cover flashed, causing five cards to materialize right over it and catching Jason in amazement, "As they say, it's time to duel!"

**Calypso: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"It's dealer's choice, so I'll take the first move," A sixth card appeared, "I think I'll start things off with a spell card: Vengeful Bog Spirit," The continuous-spell came to life in front of Calypso, taking form onto the field, "Then I place one card face-down, and end my turn." A reverse-card laid itself down.

"Alright, my turn..." Jason drew his sixth card, adding it to his hand, "And I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat, in ATK mode!" The fire-based heroine appeared to the field. But something was different here. The monster before him was not in the form as it was printed on the card. Everything from its figure to its eyes became all too familiar to Jason.

"What gives...? What is this place..." Asked the monster, gasping as she took a better look at herself.

"Jasmine?!" Jason gasped, and the Obelisk shared the same reaction when she saw him.

"Jason?! What's going on here!?" Jasmine demanded, and looked herself over, "And what am I wearing!? Did you do this?" She growled, shooting him a look.

"Who's your little friend?" Calypso giggled, "She looks tough; it's too bad she can't attack."

Several ghoulish ghosts rose from the fog and grabbed onto Jasmine, "What's going on?! Get off!" Sh shouted as she struggled against their cold limbs.

"Vengeful Bog Spirit calls the souls of the deceased to capture any monster that's summoned to the field," Calypso explained, "So whatever monster you bring out, it will have to wait one turn to attack."

"Get them off of me!" Jasmine cried.

"Jasmine! You may not attack but you still have a special-ability!" Jason called, "Just shake them off!"

"What?!" Suddenly Jasmine's hands lit up with powerful flames, and the ghosts retreated back to the ground, "I guess ghosts don't like fire much! What a relief!" She sighed.

"Now after putting 1 card face-down, Lady Heat's ability can inflict 200 points of damage to the opponent!" The brunette declared.

"Fine, then!" Jasmine formed a fireball over her head and tossed it towards Calypso, the attack exploding on contact.

**Calypso: 3800**

**Jason: 4000**

"So you managed to get at my life-points, even with Vengeful Bog Spirit in play," Calypso said as another card appeared, "Maybe it's best if I keep my guard up..." A monster set itself onto the field, "And while I'm at it, I activate The Dark Door continuous-spell. So now we can only attack with one monster each turn. That'll do for now."

"My turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in DEF mode!" The flowerbud hero bloomed onto the field but took the form of another person.

"Hm? What just happened?" Mindy wondered, and found Jasmine next to her, "Jasmine? Where are we? ...And what are you wearing?" She asked incredulously.

"Try asking him!" Jasmine pointed, and both girls turned to him.

"Um... I think we're in a shadow-duel?"

"I think I can best explain your situation," Calypso cut in, "I placed your mortal souls in your friend's dueling deck, so you'll have to play as his monsters. And once I'm win this duel, your souls will belong to me!"

"What?!" Mindy shrieked.

"This must be a dream!" Jasmine cried, "I mean, we're playing cosplay for a Slifer who's holding our fate in his hands! This can't be real!"

"Believe it or not, it's real," Calypso said, "And I'm afraid that the only way out is if your Slifer friend can win this duel."

"Wait! Chakra was with us too, wasn't she?" Mindy pointed out. "Is she part of this duel too?"

"If she is, then he better win this before she's pulled into this too." Jasmine stated, and glared at Jason, "Is that clear?! Don't screw this up!"

Jason nervously nodded, "Since I already have Lady Heat on my field for an entire turn, I can use her to attack your face-down monster!"

Jasmine formed a bigger fireball and launched it at Calypso's monster, which looked like a demotic tomato grinning with a set of pointed teeth, flaring its long tongue at them. "Oh no! A (1) Mystic Tomato(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1100)!"

"Mystic Tomato?" Jason repeated, "Is that bad!"

"When a Mystic Tomato's destroyed in battle, its player can then summon another DARK monster with 1500 ATK or less from their deck!" Jasmine stated, "If she summons a strong-enough monster, we're in trouble!"

"I'm afraid you friend is right," Calypso said, "With Mystic Tomato's ability, I can summon one of the most fearsome fields in Duel monsters: the (2) Legendary Fiend(6/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1800)!" A pale, blue-skinned demon rose to the field, shadowy wings sprouting from its back and sharp claws shotting out of its fingertips; and most disturbingly, a cross between tentacles and serpents growing from its shoulders at the base of its wings (ATK: 1500).

"Ugh! That thing's hideous!" Mindy cringed.

* * *

><p>"Now, the shadow games have truly begun!" Titan laughed as the pyramid continued to glow, "Don't your life-points seem so utterly insignificant, now that it's your very life that's at risk?" the light finally faded as Jaden felt like nothing happened, until...<p>

"Jaden!"

"No...!"

Hearing the cries of his friends, Jaden looked down, "Hey, my arm...!" his right elbow, left arm below the shoulder, and everything between them in his chest area gone, as though erased.

Titan: chuckled, "It is the way of the shadows; transcending the game, attacking your body."

"Hey, I can't move my feet!"

"Of course not. As the shadow fog rolls past, you all will feel the darkness take you into its grip, completely."

(As the fog surrounds Syrus, Rock and Chumley, they put hands to their throats, choking on it, "The air... getting tough to breathe...!" Chumley gasped.

"You are at the mercy of the night now!"

"I... I can't feel anything..!" Syrus wheezed.

"Treasure the numbness, for it will not last. Soon you will be drawn into an infinite chasm of eternal darkness where every waking moment will be filled with a gaping-"

"What? Gimme a break, how bad could it be!" Jaden stepped in, "So what: back at our dorm we got blackout curtains so we can sleep in later; I'm not scared of the dark! It's great!"

"But your 'blackout curtains' do not wield the same kind of mystic power as my Millennium Item does," Titan scoffed as the pyramid glowed once again. He's barely visible through the fog, his location marked by the shining point of golden light on the other side of the field, "It's your move; but make it count, it may be your last."

'Wow. Millennium Items? A shadow fog?' Jaden smiled giddy, 'Who could ask for a better challenge?' "Alright, Jaden... get your game on!" he drew his next card, "Here goes, buddy! For my move, I play the spell card Pot of Greed," he then drew two more cards from his deck, "And I'll fuse this Elemental Hero Sparkman with my Clayman on the field using Polymerization! Now, say hello to, (8) Elemental Hero Thunder Giant(6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1500)!" the two monsters merged and a new hero takes the field, a broad-shouldered, armored warrior with a globe in the center of his chest that crackles with contained electricity (ATK: 2400), "And now I'll use his special-ability, which lets me destroy a monster whose original ATK points are lower than his! Now, Thunder Giant, let loose Static Blast!"

Titan chuckled as Thunder Giant's attack stopped short of Terrorking Archfiend, "I activate Terrorking's special-ability once again. Spin, roulette!" the little fireball starts traveling around the circle of numbered spheres again.

"Oh no, it just can't land on a two or a five again!" Syrus gasped.

And the fireball landed... on a five. "I win again! It seems as though even Fate isn't on your side _half_ the time! And now you will pay the price!" Thunder Giant's attack rebounds on him, and destroys him.

Jaden shields himself from the blast. "This stinks! Talk about a run of some really rotten luck!"

'This is totally anti-licious,' Chumley thought, 'No matter what Jaden does, that Shadow Duelist's Archfiend deck can use that roulette to save himself! And this choking dark fog isn't exactly helping things either. I mean first Jade' came here to save Alexis, and now he might not even be able to save himself!'

"Now, all your monsters are destroyed," Titan laughed, "and you're next!"

"This match isn't over yet! I've still got a few cards up my sleeve. Like this one: Mirage of Nightmare!" a continuous-spell is placed on Jaden's field, "And I'll throw down a couple of face-downs while I'm at it."

"Don't waste my time. Your life-points won't last long enough for you to use any more of your cards! Alexis's soul will soon be gone, and so will yours," Titan caught a card that spat out of his vest, "It's my turn!"

"Hold on!" Jaden interrupted, "I think you're forgettin' somethin'. Mirage lets me draw 'til I have four cards in my hand."

"So go ahead, then. You could have four 'million' and it still wouldn't defend you against the crushing power of _my_ monster. Allow my Terrorking Archfiend to give you an example! Attack, Locust Storm Barrage!" Terrorking's chest cavity opens up and out swarms a cloud of nasty-looking winged insects again.

"Talk about 'butterflies in your stomach'! Good thing I played a trap card, Mirror Force!" Jaden's reverse-card opened, "Say goodbye to all your monsters in ATK mode!" the trap produces a translucent wall for the swarm of locusts to run into. The reflected force from the impact destroys first Terrorking Archfiend, then Infernal Queen Archfiend.

Titan growled, "How dare you!"

"How? 'Cause I'm, daring, I guess."

"Well let's see how 'daring' you are after this: I'm using (5) Desrook Archfiend(3/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)'s special effect; it allows me to resurrect Terrorking Archfiend by sending this card to the graveyard. Say hello to a not-so-old friend." Titan dumped the card into the discard slot, and the Terrorking rose back to the field (ATK: 2000), "And now I activate the effect of the field-spell card Pandemonium! Its powerful magic allows me to draw a new Archfiend, if one of my Archfiend monsters is ever sent to the graveyard. Of course this new Archfiend can't be as powerful," another card is added to Titan's hand, "But then, my Terrorking Archfiend is packing more than enough power as it is! Now, let's try this again; Locust Storm Barrage!"

"Will this storm ever let up?!" Chumley groaned as another swarm made its way to Jaden's field.

"Go, Emergency Provisions!" Jaden announced as the face-down quick-play opened, "This spell card allows me to sacrifice another spell or trap card, and get back 1000 life-points!" Mirage of Nightmare disappeared, his life-points rising to 1000 more than Terrorking's ATK before the swarm crashed into him.

**Jaden: 1000**

**Titan: 4000**

"You still stand?!' Titan snapped.

Jaden stumbles a bit, "As long as I got two good legs!"

Titan again pulls his gold pyramid from his pocket, "But your legs are _not_ good, and with this latest strike on your life-points, neither are your arms!"

Once again, the pyramid's light filled the room and Jaden watched his whole right arm, from wrist to shoulder, vanish, leaving his right hand floating inexplicably in space.

"Aw, man. Jaden's fading really fast." Syrus whimpered.

'Talk about hangin' on by a limb!' "Better make this turn count!" Jaden drew his next card, "Alright. I use the spell card The Warrior Returning Alive, which brings back Elemental Hero Avian to my hand! Now I activate Polymerizarion to fuse with Burstinatrix, and create, the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" the two monsters merged into the giant dragon-fanged hero (ATK: 2100), "Now whaddaya say we turn up the heat in here, Wingman! Attack with Infernal Rage!" Flame Wingman destroys Terrorking Archfiend in a huge fireball, "Oh by the way, did I mention his super power? Your beasties won't be the only ones hurtin', you will too! You take damage equal to your destroyed monster's ATK points!" another stream of fire washed over Titan.

**Jaden: 1000**

**Titan: 1900**

"Parts of him are starting to disappear now too!" Syrus cheered as they watched Titan's elbow and left leg start to vanish.

"Think that could work on my waistline?" Chumley joked.

"It matters not, because I have yet another Desrook Archfiend. I simply discard him to bring back my Terrorking; there's no escaping him! Rise again, Terrorking!" after discarding another copy, the Terrorking rose again onto the field (ATK: 2000).

"This guy's really overstaying his welcome! I gotta find a way to get rid of 'im somehow! But first, I gotta protect _myself_, with (7) Dark Catapulter(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500)!" the monster summoned isn't an Elemental Hero, but a sort of robot; bipedal body, thick limbs and wide shoulders, draconic head (DEF: 1500), "Now come on and do your worst!" Jaden concluded.

"You want my worst? You should be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it!" Titan drew his next card, "Especially when _this_ card is in the mix: I sacrifice my Terrorking Archfiend, and call forth the (6) Skull Archfiend of Lightning(6/ATK: 2500/DEF: 1200)!" the archfiend king was then replaced by a larger, horned demon, electricity coursing through it (ATK: 2500), "You wanted my worst, well now you have it! Every last supercharged volt!" with that, Skull Archfiend vaporized Flame Wingman.

**Jaden: 600**

**Titan: 1900**

"Oh, man..."

"Jaden!"

'I gotta hang on...' Jaden huffed, 'for Alexis...!'

Titan again holds up the golden pyramid, "Look into my Millennium Item... and feel yourself drifting even further into the shadows!" Jaden dropped to his knees gasping the sight of the golden pendant began to blur and distort, "You are defeated. Your life-points are all but gone. Soon, you will be nothing but a hollow, soulless shell! Feel yourself drifting... drifting... drifting...!"

Jaden's vision began to unfocus, and then... "I... I can't see anymore! What's happening to me?!"

Titan chuckled smugly and puts the pendant away, watching the Slifer hunched over on his knees, 'Look at him suffering! The shadows are a powerful weapon indeed; even the ones simply in your mind! If only he knew...'

* * *

><p>"I place a card face-down and end my turn! " A reverse-card appeared, "Then Lady Heat's ability activates! And since there are 2 heroes now on my field, you lose 400 life-points!" Jasmine threw two more fireballs.<p>

**Calypso: 3400**

**Jason: 4000**

"Then it's my turn again," Another card appeared near Calypso, "You're quite right to worry about my Legendary Fiend; especially he gains 700 ATK points during each of my standby-phases (ATK: 2200). And since my fiend wasn't summoned until last turn, he's free to attack, right now!" The Legendary Fiend shot its tentacles towards the two heroines.

"I activate my trap, Negate Attack!" Jason shouted, a barrier forming around the two girls to keep the wiggling tendrils at bay, "This card negates your attack and end the battle-phase!"

"No big deal," Calypso shrugged, "I'll just wait one more turn with two more card face-down." A set monster a reverse-card appeared.

"My turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" The fire-based hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And with 3 heroes on my field, Heat gains 600 ATK points (ATK: 2200), "Next, I switch Knospe into ATK mode as well!"

"Uh, what do you think you're doing?!" Jasmine questioned.

"When there are other heroes other than Knospe on my field, she's protected from enemy monsters and can attack you directly!" The duelist explained, "Go on, Mindy! Let's give her more damage!"

"Okay, here goes!" Mindy fired a round of projectile seeds at Calypso.

**Calypso: 2800**

**Jason: 4000**

"And there's more! When Knospe deals damage in a battle, 100 points get transferred from her DEF to their ATK!" Jason said.

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 700/DEF: 900)

"And since my turn ends, Lady Heat can deal 600 points of damage!" A trio of fireballs fired away.n and went total cannon fodder all over his opponent.

**Calypso: 2200**

**Jason: 4000**

"Look at that! We're almost half-way there!" Mindy cheered.

"That only depends on your perspective," Another card appeared in front of Calypso, "The only thing worth paying attention to should be my Legendary Fiend, as he gains 700 more ATK points!"

"But that's 2900 ATK points!" Jason gasped.

"And those points are going to keep increasing each and every turn," Calypso smirked, "Soon it will be much too powerful for you as it feeds on your monsters one by one. And what better monster to begin with than one that carries the soul of one of your dear friends!"

"She's talking about us!" Mindy cried.

"She's talking about me!" Jasmine cringed.

Calypso smiled, "You catch on quick. That other one wold make a decent appetizer, but you'll do just fine. Enjoy, my Legendary Fiend!" The fiend hissed and shot its tentacles towards Jasmine, tying her by her wrists and ankles together to hold her still.

"Jason Hutchins, you better have something to get me out of this!" The forth remaining tentacle snaked its slimy tongue across Jasmine's face, slimy and cold to the touch, "Ack! Do something. NOW!" She screeched.

"I activate the trap card, Reverse Trap!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "This reverses all power increases on the field for this turn!" Jasmine's body lit on fire, causing the tendrils to recoil and retreat, dropping her as they retracted back to the fiend.

Legendary Fiend: (ATK: 100)

"Are you okay?" Jason asked Jasmine as she flicked the odd goo left on her.

"No. No, I'm pretty far from okay!" She snapped, "I could've been eaten alive! Why didn't you play that card sooner?!"

"Sorry..." Jason sulked.

Jasmine huffed, "Whatever! Let's just get that hideous eyesore out of my sight!" She launched a large fireball and burned away the Legendary Fiend.

**Calypso: 1000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I don't get what made your fiend so 'legendary'," Jasmine smirked, "Guess it's gonna need a new name, if an amateur like Jason could take it out."

"Do you have to be so insulting...?" Jason moped with a pout.

Calypso growled under her breath, but soon calmed down with a deep breath, "I guess you got lucky. But let's see what you do against this; I sacrifice my face-down card to summon this monster..." A spot on the field flashed before a burnt, decayed figure rose from the fog, a large cross-shaped stone slab nailed to it by its chest and shoulders, "Let me introduce you to the Hell Poet; or (*) Helpoemer(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1400) as you duelists call it!"

"That thing's as hideous as that fiend!" Mindy winced with a scrunched nose.

"Trust me, you're much better off with him on the field than in the graveyard," Calypso smiled, "By the way, the monster I sacrificed was (3) Sangan(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 600), which means I can add a monster with an ATK of 1500 or less to my hand," She swiped the card into her grasp, "And while you get better-acquainted, I think I'll activate the continuous-spell, Gravekeeper's Servant. Now you have to send one card from the top of your deck to the graveyard. That ends my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card and looked at it.

"Tell me you got something to end this quick!" Jasmine hoped.

'I hope this works...' Thought the brunette, worrying on his bottom lip. "I activate the spell card, Rose Bud!" When Jason played the card, a group of large violet petals raised themselves out of the fog and closed tightly around Mindy, forming a tightly sealed violet bud.

"What are you doing to Mindy?!" Jasmine asked worriedly.

"By activating Rose Bud, I can take Elemental Hero Knospe and transform her into something stronger..." The large flower bud fell apart as smaller petals scattered across the field. In Knospe's place stood a girl wearing a knee-length dress made of leaves with a gold belt around her waist set with an amethyst, and a crown made of long white petals (DEF: 2000), "Now she's become (9) Elemental Hero Poison Rose(6/ATK: 1900/DEF: 2000)!"

Jasmine blinked, "Mindy? Is that still you?"

The girl under the dress opened her eyes and looked herself over, giving a pleased smile and twirled like a ballerina, "Hey! I look good in this!"

"Not only that, Poison Rose also protects other heroes from opposing monsters!" Jason said, "So Lady Heat's safe from attacks!"

"Your monsters may be safe, but what about you?" Before Jason could understand what Calypso meant, he felt his heart suddenly giving out as he was surrounded by a black aura. That was when a continuous-trap card opened on Calypso's field, "The trap card, Coffin Seller, takes 300 life-points from you every time one of your monsters are sent to the graveyard. And you'll feel like every single point is ripped from your beating heart."

**Calypso: 1000**

**Jason: 3700**

"Jason! Are you okay?!" Mindy asked.

"I'm fine..." Jason huffed as soon as the pain went away, "Now Elemental Hero Heat will attack your Helpoemer!" By Gravekeeper's Servant's ability, Jason sent the top card Polymerization to the graveyard; Heat charged in and broke through the monster with a flaming fist.

**Calypso: 800**

**Jason: 3700**

'Alright, 800 life-points left. Just one more turn to go and this will all be over...' Jason sighed in relief, only to hear Calypso giggle.

"You should've heeded my warning." She said, "I told you you'd be better off with Helpoemer on the field; for its true power is revealed when it's sent to the graveyard."

"What are you talking about?"

"When you destroyed Helpoemer in battle, you set off it's special-ability after it's been sent to the graveyard. Now at the end of each of your battle-phases, you'll have to discard a card from your hand at random."

"Now we got three things to worry about! That Gravekeeper's Servant taking a monster from his deck, Helpoemer taking one from his hand, and monsters on this field being destroyed in battle!" Jasmine said.

"Monsters being us!" Mindy added in devastation.

"And Helpoemer won't be staying in the graveyard without first taking another card from your hand," Calypso's fiend shot a claw out from under Jason and grabbed hold of his wrist, while another swiped a card in his hand, the card being another copy of Elemental Hero Heat, "It looks like he's taken a monster card. That means my Coffin Seller trap card takes 300 more life-points away from you."

**Calypso: 800**

**Jason: 3400**

"And before you harbor any illusions of defeating me so soon, I activate my face-down Poisons of the Old Man quick-play, and add 1200 extra points to my life-points." a green aura surrounded Calypso.

**Calypso: 2000**

**Jason: 3400**

"I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode..." The wood-limbed, hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Now I place 1 card face-down and end my turn, and let Lady Heat activate her special-ability!"

**Calypso: 1200**

**Jason: 3400**

"Then I guess it's my move," Calypso started her next turn with her next draw, "I summon Melchid the Four-Faced Beast(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200) that I've had face-down," A four-headed totem head rose to the field, smirking at Jason with its green-mask face (ATK: 1500), "Next, I summon the Grand Tiki Elder(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 800) to the field as well," A blue-skinned apparition of a witch-doctor appeared, wearing a three-mask necklace and a normal-sized mask on its face (ATK: 1500), "And with these two monsters out, I can merge them together to form something even more ferocious!" The two masked monsters melded together and began to mutate. It grew in size until it took the form of a horrific, slumping, bone-armored creature. It crouched with its powerful legs as it eyed Jason's monsters with its twitching masked face, while two more were attached to its shoulders. A woman's torso seem to have grown under the skin of its chest, blinded and groaning lightly in agony, "I create the (4) Masked Beast Des Gardius(8/ATK: 3300/DEF: 2500)!"

"Just how many of those freakshows is she gonna summon?!" Jasmine gagged.

Calypso giggled, "A creature even your Poison Rose can't protect against. But thanks to my Vengeful Bog Spirit, I can't attack this turn. So after placing one card face-down, I'll leave it back to you." She said, finishing her turn.

'That monster has over 3000 ATK points!' Jason thought as he eyed the field. 'Even if I do have something strong enough, how can I attack with that bog spirit in play...?' He shook his head, gritting his teeth as he began his turn.

"It's my turn," He drew his next card, his eyes lighting up, 'This card could work! But first thing's first...' "I activate Woodsman's special-ability, to add the Polymerization card that's been sent to my graveyard thanks to Gravekeeper's Servant! Next, I summon Elemental Hero Stratos to the field!" The jetpack-equipped hero appeared (ATK: 1800). But unlike the previous time, Stratos seemed to have grown a ponytail that Jason knew far too well.

"What in the... What's going on here?" Stratos felt her face and removed her helmet, giving Chakra air to breath in. She looked around to see Jasmine and Mindy, "Mindy? Jasmine? What are you two wearing? ...What am I wearing?" She then gasped when she saw Des Gardius. "Okay, this is getting too weird!"

"Chakra, listed to me!" Jason said, getting Chakra's attention, "Right now we're in a shadow-duel with your souls playing as duel-monsters! You've become my Elemental Hero Stratos!"

"I'm a duel-monster?!" Chakra exclaimed.

"I don't know exactly what all this is about, but I think the only way to get your souls back is to win this duel!"

Chakra remained silent for a moment before nodding with a small smile. "Right. I understand."

"Wait! Are you sure you're up for this?" Jasmine asked her.

"I figure this is all one bad dream; but I'm up for anything if it means waking up," Chakra took her position on the field, "So what do I have to do?"

"Your special-ability's triggered," Jason said, "That means you can destroy up to 4 cards on the opponent's field."

"Alright; here goes nothing!" Stratos' jetpack fired a set of four tornadoes shooting straight across the field.

"I activate my face-down card, Emergency Provisions!" A quick-play spell opened and all of Calypso's spell/trap cards vanished.

"Missed!" Chakra gasped.

"By activating Emergency Provisions, I gain 1000 life-points for each card sent to the graveyard. I don't want to use such powerful cards just so you can take them away."

**Calypso: 5200**

**Jason: 3400**

"We're back to where we started!" Mindy huffed.

"And what's worse is that Masked Beast will no doubt attack us next turn!" Chakra added.

* * *

><p>Jaden cowered alone in a world of nebulous shadows. Then, he opens his eyes as he heard a coo, as a little fairy light pops out of his deck and floats before him, 'That... you, Winged Kuriboh? What is it, pal? You... tryin' to tell me somethin'?' Around the light, the shadows part and show him the dueling field, without the Pandemonium spell, as though shining a flashlight through darkness. 'Whoa, stay steady, wouldja? With that bright light, you're gonna hypnotize me quicker than ya help me! Huh...?!'<p>

Jaden's eyes shot back open, 'Wait... that's it! That's what you're trying to tell me! We're not playin' in the shadows, _he's_ playin' with my mind!' he then stood, "Well, no more. I got this 'shadow game' scam figured out!"

"Did he just say shadow game scam?"

"What's he mean?"

"I _mean_, my soul's not on the serving plate anymore!"

Syrus and Chumley exchange a mystified look, while Jaden stood erect and got his strength back.

"Let's keep goin'! My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, and a small light appeared on his monster's head.

'What's happening...?' Titan wondered in confusion, 'Why isn't he _scared_ anymore?!'

"First, I'm gonna activate my Dark Catapulter's special-ability! It allows me to remove one card from my graveyard, for every turn Catapulter was in DEF mode. Then, for every card I remove, I get to destroy 1 trap or spell card, out in play. So since he was in DEF mode for one turn, I'll remove Avian; and now, I'll destroy your Pandemonium card! Storm Shower Blast!"

"Uh-oh..." Titan caught the blast on his duel disk before the demon skulls glaring down from above shattered one by one. The scene itself then shattered away, leaving them once more standing in a dark, bizarrely carved stone basement, "So what! You still haven't destroyed _this_!" he raised the pyramid once again.

"You oughta be careful what you wish for! Ya might just get it!" Jaden raised the Avian card he removed from play, and tossed it right into the light. It embeds itself, level-stars-deep, into the center of the supposedly golden object, as if it was just an art project.

"What did you do?" Titan gasped, as Jaden's vanished body parts reappeared, as though never gone.

"All right, Jaden! You got your body back!" Syrus cheered.

"I never lost it! This whole shadow game was just a big fake!" Jaden assured, "It was all just hypnosis; a whole lotta smoke and mirrors to make me _think_ I was losin' my soul! This guy's a complete sham; I mean he's probably just some outta-work_ carnie_!"

"I-I'm not out of work!" Titan whined, "I can get my job at the fair back anytime I want!"

Yeah, I'm sure that you could!" Jaden laughed, "And I'm sure that papier-mâché Millennium Item goes over real well with the kiddies!"

"No! Be quiet! It's real! _I'm_ real!"

"You're a sideshow phony."

Titan then scoffed, "You fool. You forget the girl!" he then laughed, "That's right. imprisoned in a shadow-tomb! Her soul is festering in the dark recesses of the netherworld! That _proves_ this Millennium Pendant is real! What do you have to say to that!"

"Besides that you're a big dunce?"

"Huh?"

"See, all the Millennium Items were sketched on the inside of this dorm. And _yours_ would be called the Millennium _Puzzle_, not 'pendant'. You don't have Alexis's soul; you never did! So hand her over and hand over all the other kids you snatched!"

"Other kids? I don't know what you're talking about! And because of your earlier 'carnie' comment, you can find your friend by _yourself_!" Titan dashed a smoke bomb of some kind to the ground.

"No way, you're not gettin' outta here _that_ easy! C'mere!" Jaden chased him across the field. As he passed a series of carved snake heads on the walls of the cavern, the mouth of each lit up with golden light. By the time he reached the center of the field, which is rapidly fogging over with smoke, the heads have lit up all around the room, and each cast a thin, laserlike beam to the center of the field, where they meet, too perfect to be accidental. As the holograms faded, large, golden eye lights up on the floor, both him and Titan caught inside! "How'dja do _this _trick?!"

"I didn't!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Mystic Tomato  
><strong>

**Stats: [Plant/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1100)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 DARK monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck, in face-up Attack Position.**

**(2) Legendary Fiend  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: During each of your Standby Phases: This card gains 700 ATK.**

**(3) Sangan  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 600)**

****Attribute: DARK****

****Effect: When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: Add 1 monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck to your hand.  
><strong>**

**(4) Masked Beast Des Gardius  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 3300/DEF: 2500)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

********Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 2 monsters, including at least 1 "Grand Tiki Elder" or "Melchid the Four-Face Beast". When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, equip 1 "The Mask of Remnants" from your Deck to 1 monster on the field.  
><strong>******

**(5) Desrook Archfiend  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: The controller of this card pays 500 Life Points during each of his/her Standby Phases (this is not optional). When this card is targeted by the effect of a card controlled by your opponent, when resolving the effect, roll a six-sided die. If the result is 3, negate the effect and destroy the opponent's card. When a "Terrorking Archfiend" on your side of the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon the "Terrorking Archfiend".  
><strong>

**(6) Skull Archfiend of Lightning  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

************Effect: During each of your Standby Phases, you must pay 500 Life Points (this is not optional), or this card is destroyed. Before resolving an opponent's card effect that targets this card, roll a six-sided die, negate the effect if you roll 1, 3 or 6, and if you do, destroy that card.************

**(7) Dark Catapulter  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

******Effect: During your Standby Phase, if this card is in Defense Position, put 1 counter on this card. You can remove from play a number of card(s) in your Graveyard equal to the number of counters on this card to destroy that many Spell or Trap Card(s) on the field. Then remove all counter(s) from this card.  
><strong>****

**(8) Elemental Hero Thunder Giant  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

********************Effect: "Elemental HERO Sparkman" + "Elemental HERO Clayman"  
>When this card is Fusion Summoned, select and destroy 1 face-up monster on the field with original ATK less than the ATK of this card.<strong>******************

**(9) Elemental Hero Poison Rose  
><strong>

**Stats: [Poison/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 1900/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

********************Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must be Special Summoned with "Rose Bud" and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. Each time this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: It gains 200 ATK and loses 200 DEF. Your opponent can only target "Elemental HERO Poison Rose" for attacks.  
><strong>******************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>******************


	8. Light at the End of the Tunnel

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso.**

**Beta-Readers: Gammatron, MewStar0013**

* * *

><p>From the center of the eye formed a spiral of thick charcoal-colored mist, far more opaque than any smoke, more like the eye of an indoor storm. The swirling smoke closed in around Jaden and Titan, and solidified into a perfect, opaque sphere, roiling with violet shadows and crackling with unnatural sparks.<p>

Inside, Jaden looked around at the endless void of unnatural purple clouds, both amazed and frightened. Now this is starting to look like a shadow game. Titan is no less shaken, and possibly a lot more so. "What is this place?! Where am I?!"

"Come on! Enough tricks already!" Jaden groaned, still unconvinced.

"A _trick_? I can't do something like this!" Just then, grayish blobs start to rain from above, each with a rather sour expression on its face, very few with arms or any other distinguishing features. They gravitate to Titan, and encrust him with gray slime, "Help! They're attacking! Jaden! Save me!" Then a few wisps of the slimy blobs zip into Titan's open mouth, silencing him.

"What in the...?!" Jaden looks down; more hungry-looking blobs oozing around his feet, ready to pounce. Then Jaden heard a coo. He looks at his deck, as Winged Kuriboh, an _actual_ Winged Kuriboh, squeezed itself out of the deck slot on his duel-disk and sits on his hand, "Now _that's_ weird: first I hear ya, now I see ya! What in the world's goin' on here?" Winged Kuriboh bounced, then flies off his hand on its two little feathery wings. It fluttered down and cooed at the blobs, who backed away in waves, "Hey, way to show 'em who's boss, Kuriboh!"

Meanwhile, Titan's not faring nearly so well. The wisps that got into his mouth are still making it fizz with a weird greenish light, and more blobs are rushing in. As Jaden watches, Titan's eyes started to glow an unnatural red, "Jaden Yuki. The shadows pang for a soul. Only one shall survive." his voice distorted and possessed.

"Oh, come _on_ now, red contacts?! You really went overboard settin' up for this, huh?"

The crowds of slime blobs dispersed to form a perimeter. The dueling field reappeared: Jaden's Dark Catapulter and Titan's Skull Archfiend of Lightning. "This duel shall now continue in the Shadow Realm."

"So, you're stickin' with the 'Shadow Realm' thing! Fine, 'least we get to finish our match! I play the spell card Monster Reincarnation! Now, by discarding 1 card from my hand, one of my graveyard monsters comes back! And I choose everybody's favorite golden boy, Sparkman!" the electric hero appeared in DEF position (DEF: 1400), "You remember him, don'tcha?"

"Very well. My turn." Titan drew his next card.

"Yeah, but don't forget, mister tall-dark-and-scary: without your Pandemonium field-spell in play, having an Archfiend out costs you 500 life-points per turn!"

Titan exhaled a fog of grey smoke as his life-points dropped, as though more is being taken from him than just the points.

**Jaden: 600**

**Titan: 1400**

"500 life-points is nothing compared to a soul! Now, Skull Archfiend, attack!"

Jaden shields himself from a strong wind as Dark Catapulter is destroyed." Whoa! You're really pullin' out all the stops now, aren'tcha!"

"I now place one card facedown and summon the Desrook Archfiend in attack mode to end my turn." a large demonic bust standing on a set of bony tentacles appeared (ATK: 1100).

Kuriboh cooed warningly as Jaden who smiled, "Don't you worry, Kuriboh; I'm totally still in this duel! Here goes!" he then drew his next card, "All right; they say the best defense is a good offense, but what's cool about _this_ card, is that it can let me have both! Sparkman, I'm puttin' you in ATK mode, and arming you with the spell card, Spark Blaster!" a large mechanical laser blaster attached to Sparkman's right hand, "It has 3 blasts, and lets me change the battle-mode of any monster on the field for each of 'em! And I think I know just the monster to use it on first!" Sparkman aims his blaster...

"So be it. Change the battle-mode of my Skull Archfiend of Lightning. His 1200 DEF points should make for easy conquest...unless the roulette negates your effect again!"

"Sorry, but that's not the monster I was talkin' about. In fact, my Sparkman's not even gonna use that blaster yet! He's attacking your Desrook Archfiend with Static Shockwave!" Sparkman's electric attack ripped through the Desrook.

**Jaden: 600**

**Titan: 900**

"Oh, and as for who I'm gonna use the Spark Blaster on? The Sparkman himself from offense, to defense!" Sparkman pointed his blaster downward and fired ripples of magnetic energy on the ground, before switching to DEF mode.

"Coward. First you have your Sparkman attack my life-points and then you have him switch to protect your own. But it matters not; nothing can protect you from this: the trap card Battle-Scarred!" a continuous-trap opened on Titan's field, "With it, the 500-life-point-per-turn cost of my Skull Archfiend of Lightning affects not only me, but you, too, and for as long as he's out on the field!"

**Jaden: 100**

**Titan: 400**

"This is bad; I won't be able to last another turn!" Jason groaned. The blobs crowded around his feet again, gnashing their little teeth. Kuriboh floats down and rebukes them with a coo, keeping them at bay. "Don' worry, Kuriboh, buddy. It's all good; we still got Sparkman!"

"Wrong. Skull Archfiend, destroy that peon! Blast Stream of Fury!" the Skull Archfiend fired the electric hero with an electric attack of it own, "Next, I place a face-down card, and activate the normal-spell card Double Spell. Now, by simply discarding one of the spell cards in my hand, I am allowed to use one of the spell cards from your graveyard. And I select Emergency Provisions! Now, I sacrifice one meaningless card, and, regain a total of 1000 life-points!" Titan's reverse-card vanished.

**Jaden: 100**

**Titan: 1400**

"Your fate is sealed. You have not a single card remaining in your hand. Battle-Scarred will take your last life-points next turn. Then you'll join the rest of the students I've taken, in the Shadow Realm."

* * *

><p>"Jason, you better have a back-up plan!" Jasmine pleaded.<p>

"I activate the magic card Polymerization!" Jason activated his spell card, "By fusing together Elemental Heroes Heat and Stratos, I summon the Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" when Heat vanished, Chakra's armor morphed until it resembles the Great Tornado.

"That's the card he used to beat Crowler with!" Mindy said.

"And I know just what to do with it!" A pair of large tornadoes fired from Chakra's shoulder armor and slammed into Des Gardius.

Masked Beas Des Gardius: (ATK: 1650)

"Now, Great Tornado, attack the Masked Beast!" Jason commanded.

"Jason, wait!" But Chakra's body moved on its own and fired a pair of tornadoes from the arms, ripping through the Masked Beast.

**Calypso: 5200**

**Jason: 3400**

"Jason, you should've waited!" Chakra scowled, her temporary player quirking a brow..

"Did I do something wrong?"

"What a dolt!" Calypso scoffed as a mask appeared from the monster's remains. It looked as if some hideous creature looking through the crack was trying to claw its way out. It flew right over and latched itself onto Chakra's face, "When you destroyed my Des Gardius, you allowed me to activate the Mask of Remnants from my deck. She's now mine to control!" After a futile resistance, Chakra slumped and floated over to Calypso's side.

"That's must be what Chakra was warning us about!" Mindy realized.

"If only Jason had held back like she said... You idiot!" Jasmine snapped at Jason and blasted Calypso, " Did you even think about what would happen?!"

"I'm sorry..." Jason had no idea what to say, his gut clenching, "I..."

**Calypso: 4600**

**Jason: 3400**

"That hasty attack of yours just cost you your friend," Calypso said as another card appeared, "Lucky for you I'm having too much fun! So why rush to victory when I can drag it out as long as possible. You know, of all the souls I've taken before now, very few were able to defeat my Legendary Fiend or my Mask Beast. There's someone here that who like to congratulate you for making it this far..." Suddenly the Legendary Fiend, Helpoemer and Masked Beast Des Gardius rose to the field.

"Didn't we destroy those monsters already?!" Jasmine groaned.

"Let me tell you a little secret. My Book of Lost Millennium; an ancient and powerful tome born from the end of shadow-games was used in ancient Egypt. This book acts as a border between the mundane world and the Shadow Realm. But that's one of many of its secrets..." The three creatures broke apart, releasing separate multitudes of apparitions.

"What are those?!" Mindy gasped.

"For years I gathered souls through the many means of the Book of Lost Millennium. These are the spirits I've captured, harnessing them to empower my demonic servants. And soon, you will join in my collection, just like that blonde-haired girl."

"Blonde hair... You're talking about Alexis!" Jasmine gasped.

"Is that her name? Could it be that her mortal soul is trapped within one of the Slifer's cards?" Calypso crackled, "Maybe she could be of use to you in this duel. But then again, you'll be putting her in danger; especially against this next card..." The small group of souls mixed together and took the form of a figure, turning pitch black, "This monster redefines the meaning of fear. That being said, I form the (1) Dark Necrofear(8/ATK: 2200/DEF: 2800)!" The monster appeared as a wicked-looking mannequin doll made of several parts graphed with blue skin, its chest and right bicep made of parts of welded metal. In her arms was a dilapidated, broken doll. It seemed like she was holding a mutilated child (DEF: 2800).

"Just when I thought her monsters couldn't get any creepier!" Mindy whimpered.

"And you also have your Great Tornado to worry about," Calypso said, "Let's see how you fare against a former friend of yours." She nodded with a smirk, "I end my tun."

'I don't want to destroy a monster with someone's soul in it.' Thought Jason. 'But if I could somehow remove that mask...'

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "Just what I need! I activate the De-Spell magic card! This destroys any other magic card on the field! " He pointed at his opponent's side of the field. "And I choose your Mask of Remnants!" The mask shattered into millions of wooden shards giving Chakra room to breath. She then retreated back to Jason's field.

"Chakra! Are you alright?" Jasmine asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. But we have to be more careful!" The member of their trio warned. "We don't know what kind of tricks she's got up her sleeve!"

"Tell that to Jason!" Jasmine snapped with a snarl. "He's the one who put you in danger!"

"That's why we have to stand our ground and not attack any face-downs or monsters we don't know about." Chakra turned to the young duelist. "Jason, do you understand?"

Jason nodded, "Right. I'll just keep up my defenses and leave it up to Lady Heat's ability."

**Calypso: 3800**

**Jason: 3400**

"You know, you shouldn't broadcast your strategy like that," Calypso said as she started her next turn, "Especially when it's a losing one. I have plenty of cards that will render your strategy worthless," A set monster appeared, "I end my turn."

"My turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down and end my turn, letting Lady Heat's effect activate!"

**Calypso: 3000**

**Jason: 3400**

"Hiding already, I see," Calypso started her next turn with a huff, "But hiding is futile, as you'll soon see for yourself. Now, in the meantime, I summon the Morphing Jar that I have face-down," A stone jar tilted on the field with a one-eyed, grinning face hidden inside (ATK: 700), "And when a (2) Morphing Jar(2/ATK: 700/DEF: 600) is flipped face-up we send all the cards in our hand to the graveyard to draw five new cards from our decks," Both duelists recovered their respective hands, "And with a new hand, comes new dangers lurking at every corner. I place one monster in DEF position and another card face-down. That ends my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's ability to bring Polymerization back from the graveyard! Next, I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge in ATK mode!" The ice-armored hero appeared (ATK: 800), "Now I activate his ability: by sending 1 card from my had to the graveyard, Ice Edge is allowed to attack you directly this turn! Attack, Ice Edge!" The warrior dashed across the field.

"I activate my trap card, Dark Spirit of the Silent!" Calypso's reverse-card opened, releasing a wicked spirit that phased through Ice Edge, causing him to stumble to his knees.

"What did you just do?!" Jason demanded.

"My trap card has, what you might saw, a two-part effect. It lets me call forth a spirit that not only cancels you monsters attack, but also possesses one of your other monsters, forcing them to attack instead," The spirit dove into Woodsman, causing him to rise to his feet,"And it looks like it decided to possess your Elemental Hero Woodsman. So he has to attack."

"Fine I'll use him to attack your Morphing Jar!" Woodsman shattered the jar.

**Calypso: 2700**

**Jason: 3400**

"That ends my turn!"

**Calypso: 1900**

**Jason: 3400**

"Then I guess it's back to me," Calypso started her next turn, "I think it's time I make use of my face-down card. So I'll summon (3) Jowls of Dark Demise(2/ATK: 200/DEF: 100), the monster I set face-down," From the flipped card rose a purple, monstrous mask that appeared to be made from wrinkled skin (ATK: 100).

"Not another mask." Chakra groaned.

"And not just any mask; it allows me to take control of one monster on my opponent's field for the rest of this turn. Let's see how it looks on your Poison Rose..." The mask suddenly shot itself onto Mindy's face and pulled her to the opposing field. Her eyes suddenly glowed red with rage through the mask's living open-mouth visor.

"I can't believe you let her take one of us again!" Jasmine scowled at Jason.

"And it get's worst. Because the monster the Jowls controls can also attack your life-points directly!" Poison Rose jumped forward and summoned a pair of thorny tendrils, which she used to lash at Jason, the latter coughing as air was torn away from his lungs by the impact.

**Calypso: 1900**

**Jason: 1500**

"And I'm sure you know this, but when Poison Rose inflicts damage to an opponent's life-points, 200 points get transferred from her DEF to her ATK points (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1800). Next I activate this spell card called Ectoplasmer!"

"Not that!" Chakra gasped.

"What? What does that card do?" Jason groaned, hoding his chest as his legs felt like lead.

"Ectoplasmer is a continuous-spell card that affects both players on the field. It forces then to sacrifice one monster during the end-phase of the turn."

Jasmine gasped, "But it's still her turn and Mindy's over there!"

"That's right," Calypso said, "And each time we sacrifice a monster, half of their ATK points get deducted from the opponent's life-points. So after placing one card face-down, I'll use Ectoplasmer's effect and sacrifice my own Jowls of Dark Demise!" The mask detached itself from Poison Rose, bringing her back to Jason's side. The mask rotted away and glowing green spirit shot itself from it and through Jason's chest.

**Calypso: 1900**

**Jason: 1400**

"Jason, I'm so sorry for what I did!" Mindy pleaded.

"It's alright..." Jason groaned, trying to stop the raging headache that shot up from his spine.

"But now we have to worry about that Ectoplasmer card!" Chakra exclaimed, "If we don't do something about it, we could be sent straight to the graveyard! And for all we know, all those monsters we destroyed could be waiting for us!"

"She could take control of and sacrifice any one of us on her next turn!" Jasmine said, "And with Chakra's power at 2800, she could be next!"

"I hate to say it, but if there's a good a time as any to finish this, it's now! Jason, you have to call out as many monsters as you can!"

"Alright, it's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization to fuse Lady Heat on Woodsman, to form Elemental Hero Gaia!" Woodsman merged itself with Lady Heat as Jasmine's costume changed shape. She now wore a heavily-armored chest-plate with large wrist-gauntlets and metal-plated skirt.

Jasmine groaned as the costume left her nearly scantily clad, "Girls, I really don't want to play anymore."

"When Gaia's summon, the ATK points of a monster on your field are cut in half and then added to Gaia! And the only face-up monster you have is Dark Necrofear!"

Dark Necrofear: (ATK: 1100)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3300)

"Next, I activate the magic card Fusion Recovery! This allows me to add a Polymerization card with a fusion-material monster from my graveyard! " Jason formulated, "Now I activate Polymerization one more time, and fuse Woodsman from my hand with Ice Edge from my field to create Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" The two heroes merged into the sub-zero fusion monster (ATK: 2500). "Gaia! Attack Dark Necrofear!"

"Jason! Don't tell me what to do!" Jasmine pounded her oversized fists, "Alright, here goes nothing!" Gaia charged in and smashed her fist into Dark Necrofear, knocking her clear off the field. "So much for Dark Necrofear!"

Calypso chuckled, "Such big talk; why don't you take a closer look..." From outside the arena, Dark Necrofear stumbled to her feet. She twitched intensely until she was finally engulfed in a bright blue fire, soon letting her doll melt into her arms.

"What's going on?!" Jasmine got her answer the doll's remains burst open and several wicked-looking spirits shot out and quickly stabbed into Jasmine's body, causing her to drop to her knees, twitching uncontrollably.

"Jasmine!" Chakra, Mindy and Jason cried out.

"Destroying Dark Necrofear releases the anguished souls I trapped within her doll, and allows me to pack then into a new vessel: one of your monsters," Jasmine then calmed and rose to her feet, walking herself over to Calypso's field, "Now your Gaia is mine to control for the remainder of this game."

"That last move was our only chance!" Mindy cried.

"You can still clear my field," Calypso said, "I have two monsters on my field and so do you. All you have to do is attack both Gaia and my face-down card."

"But if we attack, we may lose Jasmine forever!" Mindy cried in fear.

"And by the end of this turn, we'll have to choose which one of us will be sacrificed for Ectoplasmer!" Chakra added.

"That poses quite a problem on your part," Calypso giggled like a child, "If only you had a spare monster on your field..."

"I summon Elemental Hero Ocean to the field!" The merman hero appeared in baring arms (ATK: 1500), "And at the end of this turn, I'll sacrifice him for Ectoplasmer as inflict half of his ATK points!" Ocean decomposed and his spirit shot at Calypso.

**Calypso: 1150**

**Jason: 1400**

"So you did managed to find a way around after all," Calypso brushed off the last attack as if it were nothing, "I think that's enough time wasted. It's about time this act goes according to script."

"According to script...?" Jason asked confused, "What are you talking about?"

"I've only held back until now just to see what monsters you have. You make it almost too easy. The better for me to take for myself!"

"You won't!"

"You better believe I will," Calypso started her next turn, "I summon the (4) Brain Jacker(2/ATK: 200/DEF: 900) that I placed face-down," A one-eyed, brain-shaped creature with wings and claws rose (ATK: 200), "And when this monster's face-up, I can take control of one of your face-up monsters on the field, like your Poison Rose!" Brain Jacker fired a beam from its eyeball and struck Poison Rose, who suddenly went limp.

"Mindy!" Jason and Chakra cried out. Mindy rose with a blank expression and switched over to Calypso's field, like a puppet on strings.

"Next I activate the equip-spell card, Snatch Steal. With this I can take control of any monster on my opponent's field. I think I'll take your Great Tornado!" A dark aura surrounded Chakra, who quietly joined Calypso with Jasmine and Mindy.

"No! This has gone too far!" Jason shouted, "Leave them out of this!"

"Why should I? I'm getting tired of holding myself back. It's time I finish this and collect my souls," Calypso said, "Now all that's left is that Absolute Zero on your field. But he won't be yours much longer. I activate the spell card Change of Heart! And just as its name suggests, Change of Heart forces your monster to switch its allegiance to the opponent for this turn."

"I activate my face-down card: the quick-play Monster Recovery!" Jason's reverse spell card opened, "This card returns a monster from my field! Absolute Zero, return!"

"But that monster doesn't have a soul," Calypso said with a sneer, "If you were smart, then you could've used that card to save one of your friends."

"I used that card on Absolute Zero for a reason," Jason infomed, "When he leaves the field, then all monsters you control are destroyed!" Ice began to thickly encase Calypso's monsters from the legs up, soon covering them under an icy cage. They all soon burst into tiny shards, "There. Now you can't attack or use Ectoplasmer on them." He then dropped to his knees, panting as a blow of exhaustion rammed into him.

"So rather than lose this duel at the hands of the very people you're tried to save, you've doomed them by destroying them all," Calypso said, "And now they're in the card graveyard, where every monster fallen in this duel are waiting for them!"

* * *

><p>"Ugh, what just happen?" Jasmine groaned as the girls rose together.<p>

"Last thing I remembered was that we were dueling..." Mindy said. "But where are we?"

Chakra looked around over the crosses and gravestones littered everywhere, "I think we're in the Duel Monster's discard graveyard."

"This is all Jason's fault!" Jasmine shrieked, "He just stood there while that goth girl got us brainwashed and then wiped out! Now we're stuck here!"

"Stop it, Jasmine! It's not over," Chakra snapped, "Just remember one of the fundamentals of the game: if cards can enter the discard pile. they can also leave it."

"So if Jason can get our Elemental Heroes out of the graveyard, then we can leave?" Mindy hoped.

"Exactly." Suddenly, the ground broke, and then dozens of monsters began to rise from it; and all of them had their undead eyes set on the three Obelisk girls.

"Chakra, how much longer are we stuck here?" Jasmine whimpered as all three of them huddled together in fear.

* * *

><p>The masses of grey blobs swarm hungrily around Jaden's feet. Even with Winged Kuriboh scolding them back, they're getting bolder and bolder.<p>

"Better make this turn count, 'cause one way or another it's gonna be my last! Here I come!" Jaden drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in ATK mode!" the water-shooting hero appeared (ATK: 800), "Now, Bubbleman'll just burst if he's left alone, so if he's the last card in my hand, his appearance counts as a special-summon! And there's more: if he's the only one on the field when he's summoned, I get to draw 2 more cards!" Jaden drew twice more, "And whaddaya know; I drew his favorite: Bubble Shuffle. Actually, it's more of a two-step; see, it works like this: I switch him and one of your monsters to DEF mode, then I sacrifice Bubbleman and summon a hero!"

"_If_ my Skull Archfiend's countereffect does not render your spell card useless, that is," the possessed Titan said as the roulette returned, "If this roulette lands on a one, three, or six, your Bubble Shuffle spell fails to activate."

Jaden groaned, "I've had bad luck with this thing..."

The fireball travels around and around the roulette, and finally stops on... "...Two?! Rrrgh!"

"All right! Finally, I win!" both Bubbleman and Skull Archfiend switched battle-positions (DEF: 1200x2).

"Now, let's give a big Shadow-Realm welcome to, (6) Elemental Hero Bladedge(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 1800)!" from Bubbleman's place rose a giant figure in muscular, golden armor. The horned face-plate gives him the appearance of a ranging bull, along with with a blade on the outside of each forearm (ATK: 2600), "I know what you're thinkin', 'he looks pretty sharp!' Well, you're right! So sharp that when he cuts through your defending monster, all _extra_ ATK points go to you! Now, Hero Bladedge! Show 'em how you got your name! Slice-and-Dice Attack!" Bladedge lunges for Skull Archfiend and strikes right through him. Skull Archfiend shows several hairline cuts, then explodes, taking the rest of wailing Titan's life-points with it.

Titan slumped over, grey mist fuming off his body. The grey blobs fling themselves at his feet in a feeding frenzy, the masked giant he quickly sinks into the mass, his last words are indistinct.

"Wow, those're some sweet special effects! So realistic..." Jaden watched in blissful ignorance. Kuriboh, unnoticed by Jaden, creates a small tear in thin air, a hole through which light can be seen, then cooed to draw Jaden's attention to it, "Huh? Think that's an exit? Well, good enough for me!" Jaden and Winged Kuriboh hurry out of there, as the place fills up with wall-to-wall globs. "Let's make tracks!"

* * *

><p>"This is the beginning if the end, I activate the spell, Card of Demise. This allows me to draw until I hold five card, as long as I discard my hand on my fifth turn," Five cards then floated over Calypso's book, "Finally, I place this monster face-down."<p>

Jason stood up, 'Alright, there's no need to panic. You've had this deck for a long time. There's a card in your deck that can take your monsters out of the graveyard!'

"I hope..." He added with a gulp aloud. "It's my turn!" Hi next card was drawn; but the card he pulled out wasn't what he expected, "I don't know what monster you have face-down there, so I can't risk attacking it. But I can defend against it. So I place this monster face-down. Then, I activate the magic card Goblin's Secret Remedy! This raises my life-points by 600!"

**Calypso: 1150**

**Jason: 2000**

"That ends my turn."

"Then it's my move," Another card appeared in front of Calypso, "I summon the (5) Ancient Lamp(3/ATK: 900/DEF: 1400) I had face-down!" A large, brass lamp standing on four spider-like legs appeared (ATK: 900), "And when that happens, I can also summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1000) of the Lamp from my hand due to its effect!" From the snout of the lamp plumed out a green mist, which then formed into a muscular green genie wearing gold bands (ATK: 1800), "My wish is his command. And my wish is to attack that face-down card!" La Jinn gathered energy between his hands and launched it towards Jason's face-down. The card exploded and was destroyed, but not until the glimpse of a visor-wearing warrior in blue-and-yellow spandex appeared.

"When (7) Elemental Hero Flash(4/ATk: 1100/DEF: 1600) is destroyed in battle and sent to the graveyard, his special-ability then activates!" Jason said as he lifted his duel-disk, "Now I can take him, and 3 other Elemental Hero monsters in my graveyard and remove them from the current duel!" The gem on his duel-disk began to glow, "And the cards I choose to take with Flash are Great Tornado, Gaia, and Poison Rose!" Three sources of light burst from his graveyard-slot and floated around Jason, who looked at him curiously, 'These must be the souls of Chakra and the others Calypso took...' Thought the Slifer.

Calypso growled silently, 'When a soul card is removed from play, the soul itself is removed. There's no way he could've known that!' She thought with anger.

"Those souls are just without vessels! When I finish this duel, I'll be taking them back, along with yours! And with no monsters on your field, I'm one attack away from that end! Ancient Lamp will attack you directly through La Jinn!" La Jinn formed a larger energy ball and tossed it at Jason, knocking him off his feet.

**Calypso: 1150**

**Jason: 1100**

"Now I sacrifice my lamp and summon the Earl of Demise(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 700)!" The lamp vanished and was replaced by a rotting nobleman earl wielding a rapier (ATK: 2000), "Now I end my turn and sacrifice my earl for Ectoplasmer, and deal half its ATK points to your life-points!" Earl of Demise rotted away and its spirit rushed into enemy lines and struck through Jason, the pain shooting through his entire body like a wild fire. Jason dropped to his knees and clutched his chest, dry heaving as his limps tightened to the point of pain.

**Calypso: 1150**

**Jason: 100**

"And with La Jinn still on my field, I just need to wait one more turn and sacrifice him for Ectoplasmer!" Shouted his standing opponent. "And even if he leaves the field before my turn, I still have a monster I can use to take the remainder of your life-points; because in order to bring my life-points to zero, before I can even use my spell card, you'd have to summon a monster that has around 3000 ATK points! And with the cards you have, the chances of bringing one to the field next turn are as meager as your life-points!"

Jason kept panting as he took in what Calypso said, 'I don't want to admit it, but I think she's right!' He thought with a clenched jaw, 'The only monster I could think of to beat that thing needs to be summoned in a fusion. And I don't have all the right cards! How am I supposed to win this thing...?' Suddenly it hit him, only one option, 'That's right! I can't believe I forgot!'

Jason shot back up, ignoring his fatigue, "It's my turn! I draw!" The Slifer drew his last card, 'This is it; the card I've been looking for!' He thought with a grin.

"Thanks to Flash's effect, I can add a normal-magic card from my graveyard! Now I activate the same card I brought back: Polymerization! And the monsters I use will be (8) Elemental Hero Voltic(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500), and (9) Silent Swordsman(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)!" Two monsters appeared in a flash of light: one's a warrior in a styled royal-blue armor, an another a child-like warrior in a white trenchcoat with a sword in hand. The two merged into a vortex and left a continuing ray of light forcing Calypso to shield her eyes.

"What are you trying to pull?!" She shouted.

"By merging an Elemental Hero with a light-attribute monster, I call out the strongest monster in my deck: (10) Elemental Hero The Shining(8/ATK: 2600/DEF: 2100)!" From the fusion vortex came the latest Elemental Hero, this time being a tall, curvy woman with bits of white armor-plated spandex. Covering her face was a golden star-shaped mask with a red gem in the center. Her most unique feature is the giant ark behind her with a set of eight swords hovering close to the edge, portraying as wings. The blonde haired hero's eyes opened and she looked around behind her gold-tinted lenses. "What just happened..."

"Alexis..." Jason guessed, "Alexis, is that you?!"

"Huh?!" The Shining spun around to him, "Jason?! What are you doing here? What is this place?!"

"Well, what's this..." Calypso caught the two's attention, "I guess you have your chance to play after all."

"Wait!" Alexis gasped, "It's you! you're from...from..."

* * *

><p>Alexis woke up in an open coffin, realizing her hands are bound together. "Where am I?!" She then heard sinister chuckling over the thick, blinding fog.<p>

"On a hook, dangling, baiting your friends into my trap." A golden eye then flashed in front of her, forcing her to recoil from the blinding light.

"I suggest you keep your distance from the girl if you know what's good for you."

Titan spun back towards the black-haired girl who hissed at him, holding her book as she walked towards her.

"You picked the wrong night to play hero, little girl," Titan growled, "But I have enough only my plate tonight. So if you value your soul... You'll run back home while you still have one."

"No need to be hostile. I just came to pick up something..." When Calypso got close enough, she opened her book. One horrific scream later she closed it, "There, all done. I'll leave you to your business." The girl left, leaving Titan baffled.

"Weirdo..." The shadow-duelist finally scoffed.

* * *

><p>"I'm glad you remembered me," Calypso smiled wickedly, "Now that you finally shown yourself, I can finally claim your soul for my collection."<p>

"My soul?!" Alexis gasped, "Jason, what is she talking about?"

"Uh, this may sound complicated, but Calypso's must've trapped your soul inside one of my cards for this shadow-duel!" Jason explained, "You've actually become one of my duel-monsters."

"You mean I'm a duel-monster?!" Alexis asked, bewildered.

"And an inadequate monster at that," Calypso cut in, "Even if you attack it won't bring my life-points to zero. Because this was your last chance."

"Jason, what are we supposed to do?!" The blonde-haired Obelisk exclaimed.

"Don't worry!" Jason assured, "Just attack. Trust me!"

"Alright, if you say so..." Alexis closed her eyes and the began to glow. The light coming from her seemed to push back the the fog around the field.

"The Shining gains 300 ATK points for each Elemental Hero monster I removed from play!" Jason said, "And since I removed 4 of them earlier, she gains 1200 ATK points!" The blades separated from her ring joined together from their ends in the sky overhead. They shined down a ray of light and four more heroes descended: Poison Rose, Flash Great Tornado and Gaia, who was the least bit happy to be back.

"What the- I told you I don't want to play anymore!" Jasmine whined.

"Jasmine, Mindy? Chakra? You're here too?" Alexis gasped.

"This will be the last time, I promise!" Jason assured, "All we need is one more attack and we'll win!"

"Girls, I think we should go for it!" Chakra said.

"Works for me!" Mindy cracked Poison Rose's twin vines and snared the onto Calypso. Chakra attacked with a giant wind tunnel encircling La Jinn and the shadow-duelist.

"This better work!" Jasmine dashed in and punched through La Jinn, destroying him. Finally, Alexis lured the spinning star of blades to land the fatal strike on Calyso, knocking her to the fogged floor. The book which was struck, had a long gash on the back side of its cover, where many blue lights escaped from the wound.

**Calypso: 0**

**Jason: 100**

"Oh, thank goodness...!" Jasmine sighed in relief, 'Maybe now I don't have to wear this anymore.'

"Now we can go? Right?" Mindy asked, "I'd rather not stay a card any longer!"

"This duel is over. So release us right now," Chakra scowled at Calypso.

* * *

><p>"Come on, E-Hero..." Rock muttered as he looked at the black sphere floating before him, Chumley, and Syrus.<p>

The three were currently standing around a sarcophagus contained Alexis's body. Rock had his Duel Disk active with just a single card on it and in it, the monster was Roll Light with her broom equipped as she stood guard beside Alexis's body while keeping a determined look on her face as she glared at the sphere.

"Rock, why did you summon her?" Syrus asked.

"Well, we could use all the help we can protecting Hot Lips over there," Rock pointed out as he motioned to Alexis's body, "And, between you and me, uh..." Rock leaned closed and whispered to Syrus, "...There's a lot more to Roll only I know. Kinda like E-Hero and his Winged K...His Winged K..." he adopted a look of fear and disgust, "Guh! I can't even say it!"

"You mean Winged Kuriboh?" Syrus pondered.

"Yes! That demonic little furry creature spawned from the deepest pits of hell!"

"But he's a LIGHT-Attribute," Chumley pointed out.

"I don't care if it's a DIVINE-Attribute! Those fuzzy demons should never have seen the light of day!" Rock argued with a shudder, "Uh...Quick question?"

"What?" Syrus asked, none of them aware of a sphere of light floating into the room and towards Alexis's body.

"Is it a bad thing if the sphere starts to shrink?" Rock asked as he pointed at the large sphere holding Jaden and Titan.

"Ah! You're right!" Syrus freaked, "It's shrinking!"

Roll ignored them as she caught the sphere. She then turned to the body of Alexis before nodding. She walked over and placed the light over her chest and it entered the Obelisk Blue girl's body. As that happened, a small hole opened wide enough for Jaden to fall out with his Winged Kuriboh. Rock would refuse to admit to the rumors that he screamed like a little girl and jumped into Chumley's arms when he saw it...or that he had to throw away his underwear that night for soiling the front. Roll facepalmed and shook her head in embarrassment of her duelist before Rock's Duel Disk turned off, causing her to vanish while Winged Kuriboh faded away as well just before the sphere turned into a dot and then poofed out of existence.

"Uh...You're...kinda heavy..." Chumley grunted.

"No, I'm not. It's the Soda Machine I've got strapped on my back that's heavy," Rock argued before he was dropped on his behind, "Gah! You better not have damaged the machine or you will be banned from its glorious nectar!" he tensed a little as he heard a little girl's voice clear her throat, "Uh...so...anyways...Oh, look. E-Hero's back. Gotta check on him. Okay? Good! Let's go check on him!"

"Jaden!" Syrus called, "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Jaden looked at the trio coming up to him, "Never better, guys."

"Never better'? You were in a Shadow Game!" Rock argued, "How can you say that after one of those?!"

Jaden just laughed, "That was all just a magic trick! But I wonder what he does for an encore."

"..." Rock groaned, "Whatever, E-Hero. I'm gonna head back to the Dorm so I can make sure this is working right. Anyone else wanting to get out of here, follow the guy with a soda machine on his back." another clearing of a young girl's throat was heard by Rock, amking him stop, turn around, and walk over to the casket, "Okay, so let's wake up Hot Lips first and we'll be on our way!"

"Is everything okay with you?" Syrus asked.

"Soda withdrawal's all," Rock waved him off nonchalantly, "Now, E-Hero, get over here."

"Okay. What do you need?" Jaden asked as he walked up.

"I need you to give her CPR," Rock ordered.

"Never heard of that card."

Rock's eye twitched, "I mean you need to give her the breath of life."

"Never heard of that one, either."

"...You ever help someone who was drowning before?"

"Yeah."

"How'd you do it?"

"I pumped their arm like a pump and they sprayed water out. Why?"

"..." Rock looked over at Syrus and Chumley, the three all agreeing on something unspoken, "...Just...Just forget it. Hey, Koala Kid, get your big bum over here and pick her up and put her on E-Hero's back before taking the rear. Roid-Kid, you're with me at the front since you still have the flashlight. And remember; what happens in the Forbidden Dorm stays in the Forbidden Dorm."

"Does that include you peeing when you saw Jaden's Winged Kuriboh?" Chumley asked.

"...Shut up, Meg."

Suddenly the ring of a duel-pilot was heard and Jaden answered it, "...Uh, guys? Does anyone remember me inviting anyone else? 'Cause I don't."

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in the Abandoned Dorm, Crowler walks the hallway with a flashlight, "Haha. Those Slifers must be beaten and paralyzed with fear by now," he snickered and turned a corner and walks into a room with chips from the walls or ceiling all over the floor," Come out, Shadow Duelist! I want to hear every last detail. Every chattering of his jaw! Hmph! What's this?!" something was lying on the floor, and Crowler picked it up. "It's that Shadow Duelist's Pandemonium card! He would never leave <em>this <em>behind, unless..."

"Unless he lost." Crowler shrieked and aimed the flashlight towards the bed at the end of the room, where Calypso laid in wait, "I've been hearing rumors that the boogeyman was walking around this place."

"I don't think I seen you in class!" Crowler said, trying to keep his nerve, "What are you doing here?! Don't you know this area is forbidden! Or do you want to get kicked out of here!"

"I don't think you're in any position to make threats; especially after what you pulled earlier."

"What are you talking about?!"

_"I want you to frighten someone so intensely, that he leaves this academy and never comes back! Up to the challenge?"_

_"Of course. I never turn my back to a challenge!"_

Crowler's heart nearly jumped out as he heard those words; meanwhile a turtle crawled onto Calypso's lap with a voice-recorder strapped to its back, "Fine. Name your terms..."

* * *

><p>"Well well! Good morning, sleepyhead!"<p>

Alexis comes to sitting on the ground outside the Abandoned Dorm's front gate, sitting against a tree stump, with Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley seated around her. "Where am I...? What're _you_ doing here?"

"Hold on, what kind of a 'thank you' is that! We're _here_ 'cause we had to find the bad guy, win the duel, and rescue the damsel in distress!"

"Yeah, that strange man snatched me...!"

"That's right. And guess who else we found," Jaden pointed nearby to Mindy and Chakra, who had just woken up.

"Ugh, what a nightmare..." Chakra groaned, "I dreamed we were caught in the middle of some crazy, life-sized game of Duel Monsters!"

"Me too," Mindy whined, "That's the last time I watch horror movies before bed."

"Chakra? Mindy?" Alexis gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"Alexis? We were in the forest looking all over for you..." Mindy looked around, "Where's Jasmine?"

"Hey, be careful..." Jason and Chumley came past the gate post holding Jasmine. When Jasmine awoke as well, it took her a moment to find her self being carried off.

"What do you think you're doing?! Let go of me!" Jasmine thrashed around before Jason and Chumley had to drop her.

"Jasmine... You're awake!" Jason said.

"You bet I'm awake!" Jasmine shot up, and looked around, "Wait! I thought we were at the backyard! How did we end up back here?!"

"Jasmine!" Mindy ran up to Jasmine and hugged her tight, "Jasmine you're okay! You're never gonna guess who we found!" she pulled the red-head over to where Alexis and Chakra were.

"Alexis! You're safe!" Jasmine cried and the girls gathered together, "We were looking all over for you!"

"The last thing I remembered was I was abducted," Alexis said, "Everything was a blur after that. What happened? Is everything alright?"

"Let's see..." Jasmine pondered, "Last thing I remember was following someone to a courtyard at the back of the building," she then shot a glare at Jason, "Then I dreamed that Jason had us girls dressed up like duel-monster cards and almost got us killed! So no, not everything's alright."

"That's right. I brought it to let you know that we wanna help you find him. After all, we can't have you gettin' locked up in any more tombs searchin' for 'im all by yourself!" Jason sulked from Jasmine's sudden jab.

"Almost forgot! We found your card, and this." Jaden hands her the card he picked up earlier, along with the picture frame he noticed in the front room.

"My brother...!" Alexis begins to tear up, "This is the first trace of him I've seen in a long time!"

"You really were worried about me, weren't you...!"

Jaden stands as the sun's just lighting up the tips of the treetops. "Uh-oh, sun's up. Better get back before they notice that we're gone!" After bidding the girls farewell, the Slifers take off jogging back home. "Oh, and if anyone asks, we were never here!"

'But you were; and you saved me. And now I might still be able to save my brother, too!'

"Alexis," Chakra called, breaking the former's train of thought, "It's time we get going, too."

"Oh, right." The fours girls followed the trail back to their dorm.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Dark Necrofear  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 2800)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by banishing 3 Fiend-Type monsters from your Graveyard. During the End Phase, if this card was destroyed by an opponent's card this turn (either by battle or by card effect) and sent to the Graveyard while it was a Monster Card in your possession: Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; equip this card from the Graveyard to that target. While this card is equipped to a monster by this effect, take control of that monster.  
><strong>

**(2) Morphing Jar  
><strong>

**Stats: [Rock/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 700/DEF: 600)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: FLIP: Both players discard their entire hands, then draw 5 cards.  
><strong>

**(3) Jowls of Dark Demise  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 100/DEF: 200)**

****Attribute: WATER****

****Effect: FLIP: Take control of 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field until the end of the turn that this card's effect is activated. When the controlled monster attacks, it may attack your opponent's Life Points directly.  
><strong>**

**(4) Brain Jacker  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 200/DEF: 900)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

********Effect: FLIP: Equip this card to a monster on your opponent's side of the field and treat it as an Equip Card. Take control of the equipped monster. Your opponent gains 500 Life Points during each of their Standby Phases.  
><strong>******

**(5) Ancient Lamp  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 900/DEF: 1400)**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: During your Main Phase: You can Special Summon "La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp" from your hand. This card must be face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect. Before damage calculation, if this card is being attacked by an opponent's monster, and was face-down at the start of the Damage Step: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls, except the attacking monster; the attacking monster attacks it instead, and you proceed to damage calculation.  
><strong>

**(6) Elemental Hero Bladedge  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

************Effect: If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent.  
><strong>**********

**(7) Silent Swordsman LV3  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

******Effect: Negate your opponent's Spell effects that target this card. During your Standby Phase: You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Silent Swordsman LV5" from your hand or Deck. You cannot activate this effect the turn this card is Summoned or flipped face-up.  
><strong>****

**(8) Elemental Hero Flash  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

********************Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card and 3 "Elemental HERO" Monster Cards with different names from your Graveyard to target 1 Normal Spell Card in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand.  
><strong>******************

**(9) Elemental Hero Voltic  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

********************Effect: When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: You can target 1 of your banished "Elemental HERO" monsters; Special Summon that target.  
><strong>******************

**(10) Elemental Hero The Shining  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 2100)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

********************Effect: 1 "Elemental HERO" monster + 1 LIGHT monster  
>Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 300 ATK for each of your banished "Elemental HERO" monsters. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: You can target up to 2 of your banished "Elemental HERO" monsters; add those targets to your hand.<br>********************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>******************


	9. It Fits So You Musn't Acquit

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>It was a long walk from the abandoned dorm and after all the excitement from last night all he wants to do is sleep the weekend away. Unfortunately he wasn't so lucky. After what he been through he couldn't sleep. That was his first time his life was in danger; and it was a miracle he made it out in one piece. And how Calypso just vanished like she did, he doesn't think it's the last he'd seen of her. And that's what's scares him.<p>

KNOCK KNOCK "Jason Hutchins! Open this door!" The Slifer jumped at his name being called out. He knew who it is, but she doesn't sound too happy. Jason fell out of bed and opened the door to invite Anais who, to no surprise, isn't in a good mood. Behind her was a group of men in dark-brown uniforms with shades.

"Um, can I help you?" Jason wondered.

"You can help by cooperating," Anais scowled, "As commissioner of the academy Disciplinary Action Squad, I'm placing you under campus arrest!"

"Campus arrest?! On what grounds?!"

"I think you know what I'm talking about! But in case you don't, you will soon at the interrogation! Now come on!" Jason hasn't got a chance to explain as he got pulled out of his room by the collar.

* * *

><p>Jason was dragged into a large dome-like room in the building along with the Slifer students from next door. They were called in there by academy faculty, which who were on-screen overhead. Apparently someone caught them near the abandoned dorm last night and faculty just now decided their punishment:<p>

"Wait! I'm expelled?!" Jason gasped.

"That's the penalty!" Anais said, "You trespassed into forbidden property! One of Obelisk Blue's student came to me this morning reporting you and three other Slifers going towards your dormitory from that direction!"

"But you don't understand! I was staking out last night to look for whoever was out that time! Ask Mr. Crowler! He asked me to do it!"

"Crowler, is this true?" Principal Sheppard asked.

"Absolutely not!" Crowler protested, "The only person I trusted for that task was one of my students, like Anais said! I would never leave such an important job to someone who would sneak into the Girl's dorms late at night!"

"But you brought me to your office yesterday and said-"

"But nothing!" Anais snapped, cutting Jason off, "I wouldn't even bother with excuses because you were warned the last time that happened! The other three will be suspended as I suggested, so an example can be set to the rest of the students! But you get no second chance!"

"But what kind of example are we setting? That we are a bunch of hard-hearted tyrants?" Crowler sneered on-screen, "I say we arrange something more sporting."

"Sporting? Whaddaya mean by that?" Jaden asked.

"You can't be serious!" Anais argued to Crowler, "We have rules for a reason, Crowler! We cannot negotiate them for a card game!"

"Now hold on, Anais. If we punish these students now, then we'd be denying possibly potential students; and seeing these are Slifer Reds, that's a very slim 'possibly'."

"What are you suggesting, Crowler?" Sheppard asked.

"_I_ suggest that Jaden will partner up with Syrus in a tag-duel, with Chumley and Jason doing the same. winners are cleared, losers are expelled."

"A tag-duel...?" Jaden then smiled at the idea, "That sounds sweet!"

"B-but, Jaden, he said _expelled_...!" Syrus whispered beside him.

"Chancellor? I believe they have accepted the conditions?" Crowler asked.

"Fine, then I'll arrange some opponents."

"Oh, now, Chancellor! Don't you fret about that! I'll take care of _all_ the particulars for the event!"

* * *

><p>It doesn't make any sense! Crowler sends him out last night only to deny it early in the morning. What does Crowler have against him to do that? He was so deep in his trail of thought that he didn't see the person in front of him before he bumped into them, "Hey! I'm walking here!"<p>

"Oh! Sorry..."

The person he bumped into was an Obelisk girl with long black hair, "Sorry, huh? Why don't you look where you're going!" before he knew it the girl pushed him right onto the ground.

"What's all the commotion about?!" a familiar voice came from the door nearby. Crowler came out and looked at the scene, "Is there a problem?"

"There's no problem," the girl replied in a sickly sweet tone. "Just teaching some Slifer a lesson in direction."

"Jason Hutchins," Crowler gagged, "It figures you'd be the one causing trouble for one of my students."

"Crowler, I have to talk to you about something!" Jason said.

"Nothing you could say could ever be worth my time. Now excuse me, I have some better things to do." Crowler lead the girl into his office and closed the door back, leaving the Slifer to bite his lip as he lightly pounded on the cold floor in frustration.

"Is everything okay?" a soft voice asked, which turned out to belong to Chakra who walked up to Jason.

The Slifer lowered his head to the floor, "I don't know..."

"I heard what happened from Alexis. C'mon, get up." Chakra helped Jason up to his feet. "So, feel like taking about it."

Jason nodded, not taking his eyes off the floor.

* * *

><p>He and Chakra moved to the school lobby and sat on a bench, "Anais said someone from Obelisk told off everyone from Slifer who was there last night. Then only Obelisks who could've known we were there are you and the other girls who came from Obelisk."<p>

Chakra gave a small scowl, "I know what you're thinking, Jason. There's no way they would just rat anyone out."

"I just find that hard to believe. One of them wasn't exactly friendly to me since we ran into each other last night."

"I don't know if I could speak for her, but I'm sure she took you the wrong way. She just needs to get to know you better. Besides, we all went straight back to our dorm and hit the sack. It couldn't have been them."

"Whether or not it's true, Crowler still set me up. I just don't know what I did to make him do that!"

"From what I've been hearing, he's not very fond of anyone from Slifer Red. And judging from the entrance exam and the test duel you had with him, it looks like he has it out for you and Jaden in particular."

"I guess he's just embarrassed that he lost. But to do something like this..."

"If he's really trying to get Slifers expelled, then he's doing quite a number on you. You can bet he's going to set up some strong opponent's for your duel."

"That's what I'm afraid of! I got the worst case scenario of getting expelled from Duel Academy! All that tuition money wasted! ...Oh, right, I lost the check on opening day."

"You're not saying you quit, are you?" Chakra asked, causing Jason to look up to her in worry.

"Uh..."

Chakra then stood up, "That settle it. I'm going to help you practice!"

"Huh?!"

"If you and Chumley practice for your tag-duel, perhaps that'll give you some strategies to help you prepare for the real thing! You don't want to disappoint your parents by letting yourself get expelled, do you?"

"Well no, but..."

"Good! Now let's go find him!" Chakra pulled him up and dragged him out to the Slifer Dorms.

* * *

><p>When they made it to the dorm, they spotted Jaden looking over the cliff, "Are you waiting for something?"<p>

Jaden, hearing Chakra's call, looked over his shoulder to see her and his fellow red student. "Jason? Uh, you're right about the waiting part..." Jason and Chakra looked down on the rocky shore below, a flat expanse of rock at the base of the cliff, they could see Syrus and Chumley standing together on one side with one opponent on the other end. After taking a closer look Jason swallowed from the look of the opponent: it's the same girl he bumped into back in the school! "She just barged into our room and stong-armed them into dueling! Who is that girl anyway?"

Chakra's brow burrowed, "She's trouble."

"Chakra's right," All three startled and turned towards Alexis standing beside them, "That's Xiki Nomura, an Obelisk Blue you do not want to bump into in an empty hallway. The fact that she's about to duel someone from Slifer Red can't be good."

* * *

><p>Down on the shore, the two scared Slifers felt helplessly cornered as they activated their duel-disk. Xiki sported a small smirk to go with he threatening glare as she slammed her deck inside and activated her own duel-disk.<p>

**Chumley: 4000**

**Syrus: 4000**

**Xiki: 4000**

'Let's see what all the fuss is about with these Slifers...' Xiki drew her sixth card, "I'm going first! And to start I place one monster face-down in DEF mode!" a reversed-monster appeared, "That ends my turn for now."

"Just one monster and that's it?" Jason wondered, "She doesn't have any spells or traps in her hand."

"I'm still waiting! Are you going to make a move or not?!"

"I'm... O-okay..." Syrus drew his card, "Let's see..."

"Stop stalling!" Xiki snapped, "Are you going to summon a monster or what?!"

Syrus jumped, "Well, um... yeah! (1) Patroid(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200), ATK mode!" Patroid is an anthropomorphic police car; a cartoony vehicle with a face that stands on its back wheels and looks ready to fight with its front ones (ATK: 1200), "Go! Siren Smasher!" Patroid leaped for Avian, its siren blaring. Xiki's monster rose up as a giant gelem-like creature with its two large forearms crossed in front of it. Patroid reeled back and shot a punch in the middle of the rock-monster's guard. A couple seconds after, Patroid fell back and rolled around on the ground. "Wha?"

"The monster you crashed into is my (*) Golem Dragon(4/ATK: 100/DEF: 2000)!" Xiki chuckled, "And that's one roadblock a monster like Patroid can't get past!"

"Aw, man. I should've guessed that monster's stronger..." Syrus whined.

**Chumley: 4000**

**Syrus: 3200**

**Xiki: 4000**

"I can't believe Syrus walked right into that one..." Chakra muttered.

"This isn't a good sign," Alexis showed up and stated, "There's no way they'll stand a chance in the tag match if Syrus plays like this."

Down on the field, Xiki laughed as Patroid kept blowing out its crushed hand, "I knew Slifer Red's the the most talentless dorm in the school, but even a Slifer should know that Patroid can look under a face-down card per turn! Even you should know that! That card's as old as the cartoon it's pulled out of!"

Syrus sat on the ground, making swirls in the loose dirt with a fingertip. "Oh boy, don'tcha think that dirt is just the coolest...?"

"Sy, don't crack up yet!" Jaden called to him, "you just made one mistake, that's all. Is there any other card you can play?"

"Let's see... Maybe this?" Syrus stood back up and played another card, "I activate the spell card Shield Crush! This card can destroy any monster that's in DEF mode!" the spell card fired a ray of light that pierced through and shattered. "I did it! I destroyed her monster! That's good, right?"

"Wrong!" Xiki snapped, "You already played two cards and you played them both the wrong way!"

"Huh?!"

"She's right!" Alexis said, "If Syrus would have seen how strong that face-down was by using Patroid's effect, he could have used his Shield Crush card to destroy it and deal a bit of damage."

"He played his cards in the wrong order..." Chakra said. "Let's hope that Chumley doesn't have the same problem."

"It's my turn to draw!" Chumley drew his next card, "I summon (*) Des Koala(3/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800) in ATK mode!" a giant koala bear stood before Chumley, munching on a few leaves (ATK: 1100), "And since you have no monsters on your field, my Koala can attack your directly!" the Koala leap off its feet and rammed head-first into Xiki.

**Chumley: 4000**

**Syrus: 3200**

**Xiki: 2900**

"With that, I end my turn!"

"He managed to inflict damage..." Jason voiced out, "Maybe they'll be able to get through this!"

"Don't be too sure," Chakra replied, "Anyone can score early in a duel; but it take skill to maintain the gap between them and their opponent."

"I can't believe you fell for the oldest trick in the book with a weak monster like that! It's like you didn't even think about it!" Xiki mocked, waving off the two Slifer duelists.

Syrus bit his lip as someone else's discouraging words rang in his head...

_"You weren't thinking, Syrus. You didn't take into account Power Bond's adverse special-effect. Sure you may know how to 'use' the card, but there's more to dueling than simply that!"_

"Look, if you boys aren't going to try, then neither am I!"

"Somehow I find that hard to believe." Alexis said.

"It's my turn!" Xiki drew his next card, "I summon (*) Vanguard of the Dragon(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1300) in ATK mode!" a dragon-like soldier appeared with a shield strapped in one arm and a spear ready in its other hand (ATK: 1700), "Now for his special-ability: by sending a number of dragon-type monster from my hand to the graveyard, he gets 300 ATK points for each one! So by discarding two dragons, his ATK increases by 600 (ATK: 2300)!"

"Oh, man! Now that dragon's stronger than it already is!" Jaden said.

"This is gonna sting a bit." Alexis added.

"Next I activate the spell card Double Attack! By sending a higher-leveled monster to the graveyard, my Vanguard can attack twice this turn! So you don't have to worry about who's gonna meet the end of my vanguard's spear!" Vanguard of the Dragon carged with its spear in hand. First it busted Syrus' Patroid into scrap, before destroying Chumley's Koala as well.

**Chumley: 2800**

**Syrus: 2100**

**Xiki: 2900**

"Two birds, one stone. Finally I end my turn with a face-down."

"Can I crack up now?" Syrus whined, "I just got us nailed on all of our turns. I can't win!"

"Of course you can win, Syrus!" Alexis called out to him, "You just have to believe in yourself!"

"She's so right! Don't give up!" Chumley added, "I mean, duh, Syrus, that's the first thing they teach you in freshman dueling class. I should know; I had to take it twice!"

Syrus looked at his deck as their words sink in, "You're right... I can't give up the match so soon, especially since I'm not just dueling for myself, but for Jaden as well! And the best thing I can do for him right now would be to win this duel!"

"Totally! We believe in ya! You've just gotta believe in yourself! Duh!"

Chakra picked up a smirk, "Chumley's sure good at giving words of encouragement."

"You should've seen all those self-motivation books he brought with him!" Jaden added.

"At least Syrus is playing in the _duel_ now rather than the dirt!" Alexis said. "Now the question is, _how_ will he play?"

"All right...!" Syrus drew his next card, 'I don't have a monster that can take on that vanguard right now... So I'll have to use a different strategy!" 'I'm throwing down the spell card Pot of Greed! And now I'll use its magical charm, and then draw 2 additional cards from my deck!" Syrus played the card and the holographic Pot of Greed that appeared on his field exploded. Syrus took one look at the two cards he drew and gasps aloud. His cards are Polymerization and another spell, showing sheets of metal being welded over, "Power Bond?!"

"Judging from Syrus's face, he must've just drawn a sweet card!" Jaden assumed.

"Power Bond's like Polymerization, but better! Whatever machine-type fusion monster I summon, its ATK points are doubled! But oh well... I'm not good enough to play a card _this_ strong. At least, according to my brother! Just _holding_ this card again gives me the chills! And what did he mean that knowing how to use it wasn't enough...?"

"Hey, short-stack!" Xiki interrupted, snapping Syrus out of his thoughts, "Are you gonna make a more, or is it about time to take your nap?!"

Syrus shook off the bad memory, puts the card he was holding into his hand and grabbed a different one. "I'm gonna play, this spell card: Polymerization! And I'll use it to fuse together the (2) Gyroid(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) and (3) Steamroid(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1800) that I have in my hand, to create: the (4) Steam Gyroid(6/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1600)!" Gyroid, an anthropomorphic helicopter, and Steamroid, an anthropomorphic steam engine, are swirled together and combined to create Steam Gyroid: a cartoony flying train with a face. And he looks ready to rumble (ATK: 2200).

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Xiki scoffed, "In case you can't do the simple 1st-grade math, you monster's 100 points shy of standing up to my vanguard.

"That's why I'm gonna play the spell card Limiter Removal! This card doubles every machine monster on my field, including Steam Gyroid!" a jet stream of steam sprayed from Steam Gyroid's chimney (ATK: 4400), "All right, Steam Gyroid, it's time to go loco-motive! Attack! Train Twister!" The propeller around Steam Gyroid's middle whipped up a whirlwind, which snaked around and hits the Vanguard of Dragons. The dragon warrior choked on the dust and then saw the train coming down the tunnel of wind, straight toward it! The vanguard got clobbered, and Xiki shielded herself, standing her ground against the kicked-up dust clouds.

**Chumley: 2800**

**Syrus: 2100**

**Xiki: 800**

"Jackpot!" Jaden cheered, "Syrus just took out a powerful monster! Now he and Chumley are back on top!"

"I wouldn't say that," Alexis said, "Even though they're in the lead, Syrus just landed them in even bigger trouble!"

"Once again you played right into my hand!" Xiki sneered, "When my Vanguard of the Dragon is destroyed, I can special-summon a normal-monster from my graveyard!"

"Uh-oh! And she already used up three monsters for her dragon!" Chumley pointed out.

"For a future drop-out you do have a good memory. See if you can remember this monster..." just then, a hulking blue dragon, with long horns protruding down its spine (ATK: 2850), "That's right! It's the Tri-Horned Dragon(8/ATK: 2850/DEF: 2350)!"

"But why summon a monster with weaker ATK points?" Syrus wondered, "My Steam Gyroid had 4400!"

"Doesn't matter! You seem to have forgotten about Limiter Removal's side-effect! It destroys all machine monsters affected by it!"

"What?!" Syrus gasped as Gyroid exploded.

"I guess this is what they mean by 'out of the frying pan and into the fire'!" Jaden said, "Steam Gyroid was Syrus' best card!"

"And even though he destroyed Xiki's monster, he allowed her to summon an even stronger monster!" Chakra said.

"That leaves then wide open," Alexis added, "If Chumley doesn't do something on his next turn, that Tri-Horned Dragon could clean out either of their life-points!"

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "And I activate the spell card Stray Lambs!" after the spell was played, two ball of fluff with ram horns appeared (DEF: 0x2), "This card summons 2 Lamb Tokens(1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0) to the field!"

"Well, at least their life-points are safe," Chakra said, "Now even if Xiki summons another monster, they'll only attack those two tokens."

"Now it's my turn," Xiki drew her next card, and when she looked at it, her eyes lit and another smirk spread across her face, "I've been waiting to draw this out! I activate the spell card Dragon's Mirror!" a giant, gold-framed mirror flashed from the spell card.

"Dragon's Mirror?!" Chakra gasped.

"You know that card?" Jaded gasped.

"The Dragon's Mirror... A Polymerization variant for dragon-type monsters."

"Here's how it works: I can summon a dragon-type fusion-monster by removing fusion material from my field and graveyard. And as it so happens..." Xiki held four monsters, "I have four dragons in my graveyard!"

"Four dragons..." Syrus wondered, then gasped, "And there another dragon on the field!"

"I think you're starting to see the big picture! By removing the four dragons from my graveyard with the one I have on the field, I can now summon my most powerful beast!" four dragon's appeared and hovered over Xiki. Then they, along with the Tri-horned Dragon, were sucked inside through its reflective surface. Afterward the mirror shined.

"Here it comes!" Jaden shouted in agasp.

Arrays of fire, water, wind, earth and darkness burst from the mirror before a series of heads slithered out; one mechanized, one tanned, one black, and the last two made of fire and water respectively. The dragons ducked out from the mirror sharing a large dragon's torso. "I summon the (*) Five God Dragon(12/ATK: 5000/DEF: 5000)!"

"A monster with 5000 ATK points?!" Jason gasped in horror, "I never seen a card with that much!"

"This is the card that has the highest stats in duel-monsters!" Alexis said. "I don't think they could last long against this kind of power!"

"I really don't like the looks of that dragon!" Chumley whimpered, "But it's a good thing there's 2 Lamb Tokens out, or else she could just blast us in one shot!"

"I'm not done yet!" Xiki said, and activated her face-down card, "I activate the trap card, Return from the Different Dimension!"

"No! Not that card!" Syrus cried.

"You know what it does, don't you! By paying half my life-points, I can special-summon as many monster as I can that I removed from play! Now I summon Seiyaryu(7/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2300)..." a large-winged pink dragon appeared (ATK: 2500), "Serpent Night Dragon(7/ATK: 2350/DEF: 2400)..." a midnight-blue serpentine dragon appeared (ATK: 2350), "Curse of Dragon(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1500)..." a skeletal, sandy-yellow dragon appeared (ATK: 2000), "and finally, Parrot Dragon(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1300)!" a parrot-themed greed dragon appeared (ATK: 2000).

**Chumley: 2800**

**Syrus: 2100**

**Xiki: 400**

"Five monsters summoned in one move?!" Chumley began to panic.

"Time to say goodbye to your Lamb Tokens!" Curse of Dragon incinerated one token with its firebreath while Parrot Dragon slammed through the second.

"Now let's finish this! Seiyaryu and Serpent Night Dragon, attack!"

Chumley cringed as the two dragons leered over him, "Is it too late to forfeit?!" but his deal was rejected when he was blown back by a combined array of light and several blades of darkness.

**Chumley: 0**

**Syrus: 2100**

**Xiki: 400**

"Chumley!" Syrus cried as he watched his partner get knocked back. Syrus turned back around when a giant shadow was cast over him, and the last thing he saw was a large myriad of raw elements coming straight at him. One giant explosion later, Syrus was knocked back off his feet.

**Chumley: 0**

**Syrus: 2100**

**Xiki: 400**

"Game over," Xiki stated as her dragons vanished, "Now I believe we had a deal. You know what I'm talking about, don't you, four-eyes."

"'Deal'? What is she talking about...?" Jason wondered, "Did he offer one of his cards as an ante?"

"I guess we did have a deal... Fine, you can have it," but before Syrus could reach his deck Xiki pulled him off his feet by the collar.

"You can bet I will! But I prefer to take it myself!"

"Wait! I told you I'd give it to you!"

"What's she think she's doing?!" Jaden gasped.

"We have to get down there!" Everyone else followed Alexis down to the shore, but before they got there Syrus was already back down on his back, his cards scattered all around.

"Syrus! What happened?!" Jaden hastily asked, "What'd she do to you?!"

Syrus groaned as he got up, "Oh nothing; I just lost my duel is all."

"I overheard that you and Xiki made some sort of deal!" Alexis said, "Did you ante up one of your duel cards?"

"I guess there's no denying it. Yeah, we each offered up one of our rare cards to whoever wins the duel. But it's not surprising that I lost. I didn't stand a chance."

"Whaddaya talkin' about?" Jaden protested, "Sure, I was able to pull it out at the end, but, you made some _sweet_ moves! You oughta be proud! Although, I gotta admit, I'm curious about somethin'. What was that one card you drew but didn't play? You looked so excited!"

"That card was Power Bond." Chakra cut in.

"That's what that was?!" Jaden eyes widened, "But then why didn't he play it? He would've doubled Steam Gyroid's ATK points the same as Limiter Removal! And he's still have one tough monster on the field!"

""He does make a good point..." Jason said, "If that card can keep his monster on the field, then why did he play Limiter Removal instead?"

"Because then he would've lost," Chakra answered, "Power Bond's drawback is that the duelist playing it would take major damage at the end of the turn. I'm sure Syrus just couldn't afford that."

Syrus jumped to his feet, "She's right! After all, my bro says I'm not good enough to use it, and I'll probably never be! And it's clear you'll never be able to win the tag-team duel if _I'm_ your partner!" he runs off, overcome with emotion, leaving his card on the shore.

"I guess practice doesn't always make for perfect, huh?" Alexis said, "At least not when it's with Syrus it seems."

"And it cast him one of his cards, too..." Jason said as he picked up Syrus' cards, "Why do you guys think she pushed him around like that?"

"I don't know, but I'm guessing for her, she doesn't need a reason to pick on those smaller or weaker than her," Chakra assumed, "She could be using the fact he's a Slifer as an excuse."

'Poor guy... I better give these back to him; then I'll figure out what to do with what happened." Jason walked off to the Slifer dorms.

"Don't mind me; I'll just... lay here, I guess." Chumley murmured, still dazed.

* * *

><p>Jason kept knocking of the door, but no one answered. Maybe Syrus doesn't want to be bothered right now. He can have his deck back whenever he feels like it. So the only thing Jason can do is go back to his apartment for now.<p>

When he went inside, it's as dark as he left it. He figured he should get some rest so he made for the bed. But something's wrong; the mattress is all lumpy and stuff. Taking a closer look he found out that someone's sleeping in the top bunk. Carefully and cautiously he pulled back the covers, and what he saw under it made his jaw drop a bit...

A girl's been sleeping in his bed! Right there with strands of black hair draped over her face, flickering under her shallow breathing. Even Jason had to admit, she's real pretty when she's asleep.

Suddenly her eyes popped open and Jason jumped back, accidentally falling off his feet. She sat up, groggily rubbing her eyes. "I hear you Slifers don't get many girls here. I'm sure you don't mind me bunking her for a while..." she looked down at Jason, "Well, this a surprise. I never thought I'd see you again."

"You... You know me?" Jason managed to get out.

"I take it you don't recognize me, do you? Well then... Let me enlighten you." she swing he legs over and jumped off the top bunk. She turned away, and pulled out something from her person, "Truth be told, I've been wanting to meet you again, Jason. After what we been through the other night, I just can't forget that dumb face of yours..." Jason still had no idea what she's talking about, but it's starting to sink in, especially when she busies herself with her hair, "And as luck would have it, here you are, ripe for the picking. But there will be a time for that soon. All I'm interested in is this..." as she finished with her pigtails, "She looked down with a predatory glare at Jason, "Wanna show your new roommate around?"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Patroid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

**Effect: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can look at 1 face-down card your opponent controls, then return it to its original position.  
><strong>

**(2) Steamroid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: If this card attacks an opponent's monster, this card gains 500 ATK during the Damage Step only. If this card is attacked by an opponent's monster, this card loses 500 ATK during the Damage Step only.  
><strong>

**(3) Gyroid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)**

****Attribute: WIND****

****Effect: ******Once per turn, this card cannot be destroyed by battle.**

**(4) Steam Gyroid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion] LV: 6 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 1600)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

********Effect: "Steamroid" + "Gyroid"  
><strong>******

**(5) Des Koala  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)**

****Attribute: DARK****

************Effect: FLIP: Inflict 400 damage to your opponent for each card in their hand.  
><strong>**********

**(6) Golem Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 100/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Your opponent cannot target face-up Dragon-Type monsters for attacks, except this one.  
><strong>

**(7) Vanguard of the Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: WIND****

****Effect: You can send 1 Dragon-Type monster from your hand to the Graveyard; this card gains 300 ATK. When this card you control is sent to your Graveyard by your opponent's card effect: You can target 1 Dragon-Type Normal Monster in either player's Graveyard; Special Summon that target.  
><strong>**

**(8) Five Headed Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Fusion/Effect] LV: 12 (ATK: 5000/DEF: 5000)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

********************Effect: 5 Dragon-Type monsters  
>Must be Fusion Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card cannot be destroyed by battle with a DARK, EARTH, WATER, FIRE, or WIND monster.<strong>******************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>******************


	10. Pride and Punishment

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso.**

**Beta-Readers: Gammatron  
><strong>

* * *

><p>It's mid-afternoon and already Jason has too much on his plate. First was the shadow-duel from last night, next came the possibility of being expelled, and now the same person who threatened him is sleeping in his room! He doesn't know what to focus on: practice for his duel on monday? Talk to Banner about his new 'roomate'?<p>

"Jason?"

The Slifer jumped out of his seat and backed away. He calmed down when he saw Chakra standing in front of him, "Oh, sorry. I didn't know it's you."

"You seem more tense that usual," Chakra said, "Is that expulsion duel making you that nervous?"

'Wow, if she only knew...' "You can say that, yeah."

"Well, I did say I'd help you practice so I asked for a favor and arranged a duel for you at the Obelisk Arena. I'm sure she's waiting right now.

"A duel?"

* * *

><p>"What more do you want? I got you here, didn't I?!"<p>

"Maybe you misheard my demands," Calypso growled to Crowler through the PDA, "This isn't at all what I have in mind."

"You agreed to keep quiet about last night if I make you a student here, free of charge! If I remember correctly, those were your specific words!"

"You neglected to tell me I would be holed up in some shack with a boy!"

"That your problem, not mine! Besides, I'm sure he won't be there for long. Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do than babysit a blackmailing brat like you!" the connection cut off on her as the call ended.

"'Brat', huh?" Calypso huffed as she shoved the PDA back into her person, "Apparently he _still_ doesn't know who he's talking to..."

"Great! Just what we need: another slifer infestation!" a gruff voice barked behind her in sarcasm.

'And I suppose neither do they...' Calypso didn't have to look behind her to notice there's a group of Obelisk students gathering.

"How many time do we have to go through this!" a second Obelisk said, "No Slifers allowed in Obelisk territory!"

"Hey! I think this Slifer's a girl!" another pointed out.

"Hey, you're right! Maybe we should show her how things work around here!" the first one snickered, "Whadaya say, missy. Wanna have a duel?"

A smile spread across Calypso's mouth as they welcomed her to their dare. She turned her head to glare at the Obelisks flocking about. "Actually, a duel is all I need to rid myself of this boredom, for a while..." she giggled as she brought out the Book of Lost Millennium...

* * *

><p>"Wait, so I'm dueling an Obelisk...?" Jason blinked as he looked at his opponent. For a tan-skinned girl as nimble as her she looked quite tall by over 5'5". She has shoulder length dark brown hair, which for the most part she keeps tied back neatly and dark amber eyes. From where she's standing she doesn't look too interested in this. She's not even looking at him.<p>

"I asked my friend Aspen here to do this because she has a deck that would make a good workout for yours," Chakra said from the sidelines of the Obelisk arena. "Remember, this is just practice. Whether you win or lose doesn't matter."

"If you say so..." Jason activated his duel-disk and looked back up to his opponent, "I wanna say I appreciate you helping me."

"I've been hearing some mixed comments about you," Aspen said and activated her duel-disk, "I just want to see for myself if you're as powerful as some say you are."

'I guess we'll find out...'

**Aspen: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I figured I'd find you here!"

Chakra turned to see Jasmine walk over the seats towards her with Mindy. "Jasmine, Mindy... How exactly did you know I'd be here?"

"We ran into Aspen on the way here and she told us about some 'favor'. But since it's here I thought you would be the one dueling. Why's Jason out there?"

Chakra turned back tot he duel, "If you must know I asked Aspen to hep Jason practice for his duel coming up."

"You mean the one that'll get him expelled?"

"Not if he wins..."

"I'll take the first move," Aspen drew her sixth card, "I activate the continuous-spell card Stumbling. So form now on, any monster summoned to the field will trigger this cards effect that switches them to DEF mode. Next, I set this monster in DEF mode face-down," a reversed monster appeared on the field, "That ends my turn."

"Okay, it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'So if I summon a monster in ATK mode, it'll just be forced to DEF mode instead. So I better set up some DEF until I know what to do with that...' "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in DEF mode!" the flowerbud heroine appeared (DEF: 1000), "Next, I activate the spell card Hero's Bond! With this, I can special-summon another hero from my hand! So I'll also summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge!" the small ice hero joined on the field (DEF: 900), "Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Aspen drew her next card, "I'll set another monster face-down in DEF mode," another set monster appeared, "That ends my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in DEF mode!" the fiery heroine appeared (DEF: 1000), "Then I switch both Knospe and Ice Edge to ATK mode and activate Ice Edge's effect: by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, he can attack directly with Knospe!" Ice Edge threw a series of icicles while Knospe fired a round of seeds. Aspen never flinched as the projectiles barely missed her.

**Aspen: 2600**

**Jason: 4000**

"And finally, since I end my turn, Lady Heat's effect inflicts 200 points of damage for each hero monster on my field!" Lady Heat tossed three fireballs that exploded around Aspen.

**Aspen: 2000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Hey, Jason's halfway there!" Mindy said, "Kinda nostalgic..."

"I wonder if he's lucky enough to keep it up." Jasmine muttered.

"I gotta say, those are some nice cards you got," Aspen spoke as she drew her next card, "I think it's time to show you one of mine. I flip (1) Hiita the Fire Charmer(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 1500) from face-down to face-up," her set monster flashed and a young girl with fiery red hair wearing a large brown coat appeared (DEF: 1500), "Now comes her special-ability, which lets her take control of one fire-attribute monster on your field."

"But Lady Heat's a fire-attribute!"

"Which makes her perfect for Hiita's ability," Lady Heat moved herself from Jason's side to Aspen's, joining Hiita by her side, "But that doesn't stop there: I also reveal (2) Eria the Water Charmer(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 1500), the monster I also have face-down," another girl appeared wearing the same clothes as Hiita, this on having long-blue hair (DEF: 1500), "And as the Water Charmer, she can take control of one water-attribute monster that you have on the field. So..." Ice Edge retreated to Eria's side, "Next I summon from my hand, (4) Element Valkyrie(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)." a woman warrior in red-and-blue spandex robes appeared with a wing-shaped helmet and a styled staff in hand (DEF: 1200).

"Element Valkyrie..." Jason repeated in worry, "I don't like the sound of that..."

"Now for my Element Valkyrie's ability: when there's a fire-attribute monster on my field, her ATK increases by 500 (ATK: 2000). Next I'll activate you Ice Edge's effect. By discarding one card, I can have him attack your directly just like you did! Let's see how you handle being attacked by your own monsters!" Ice Edge tossed a few icicles at Jason.

**Aspen: 2000**

**Jason: 3200**

"And if I remember correctly, Ice Edge destroys one face-down spell/trap card on your field." Jason's Covering Fire card froze and shattered.

"It's not like I could use it now..." Jason muttered.

"And now to deal with that flowerbud. Lady Heat, attack!" Lady Heat's fire burned Knospe off the field.

**Aspen: 2000**

**Jason: 2800**

"With that, I end my turn; but not before Lady Heat deal 200 points per hero on my field!" Lady Hear launched two fireballs.

**Aspen: 2000**

**Jason: 2400**

Jasmine scoffed, "I knew it's only a matter of time until Aspen made a comeback."

"This duel is far from over, Jasmine." Chakra slightly scowled.

"Don't tell me you think he stands a chance! From what I see the only thing Jason managed to do is what Aspen wants him."

"Okay, my turn..." Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "I'll end my turn there."

"Then it's my turn," Aspen drew her next card, "I switch Element Valkyrie to ATK mode and Lady Heat to DEF mode. Then I activate Ice Edge's ability and use it to attack you directly." more icicles went flying towards Jason.

**Aspen: 2000**

**Jason: 1600**

"I place one card face-down ending my turn, and Lady Heat deals 400 more points of damage to you."

**Aspen: 2000**

**Jason: 1200**

"It's my turn." Jason drew his next card, "I activate the effect of Elemental Hero Woodsman. Now I can add one Polymerization card from my deck," after searching for the right card he settled to shuffle his deck.

"I don't know why he does that?" Mindy wondered.

"Doesn't he feel any shame whenever he does that?" Jasmine muttered.

"Next I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in DEF mode!" the hoverpack hero appeared (DEF: 300), "And thanks to his special ability, I can destroy one spell/trap card on your field!" Stratos' pack powered up and destroyed Aspen's spell card, "Next I activate the spell card Polymerization and fuse Woodsman and Stratos to summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" the two heroes fused into the caped and armored green warrior (ATK: 2800), "And when he's summoned, the ATK and DEF points of all monster on your field are cut in half!" Great Tornado lauched a twin vortex which blew across the field.

Hiita the Fire Charmer: (ATK: 250/DEF: 750)

Eria the Water Charmer: (ATK: 250/DEF: 750)

Elemental Hero Lady Heat: (ATK: 650/DEF: 500)

Elemental Hero Ice Edge: (ATK: 400/DEF: 450)

Element Valkyrie: (ATK: 1000/DEF: 600)

"Elemental Hero Great Tornado, attack Element Valkyrie!" Great Tornado fired a more-concentrated twin tornado.

"I activate the trap card Raigeki Break!" Aspen's reverse-card opened, "By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, you monster is destroyed." Valkyrie aimed her staff aid fired a wide spray of fire that was fed back through the tornado and washed itself over Great Tornado.

"But without a monster on the field he's wide open," Chakra said, "He'll lose on the next turn!"

"And that surprises you, how?"

But from out of the inferno jumped out two smaller monsters, both of them attacked and destroyed the two Charmer monsters. When the fire died, all for of Jason's original heroes stood on his field.

"How did that happen?!" Jasmine gasped. "Aspen's Charmers should be controlling Jason's monsters! His field's supposed to be empty after that!"

"Let me guess, you used a De-Fusion from your hand to separate your Great Tornado."

"Huh? How'd you know?" Jason gasped.

"Oh, right! Since Raigeki Break targets a monster when activated, it missed its timing since the target's no longer on the field!" Chakra said. "And with Woodsman and Stratos he got rid of those two Charmers!"

"And without those Charmers, Aspen doesn't control Jason's heroes anymore!" Mindy added.

"Apparently this Slifer's a bit smarted than I thought." Jasmine said.

"I switch Ice Edge to DEF mode and end my turn, and Lady Heat's effect activates!" Lady Heat fired four fireballs.

**Aspen: 1200**

**Jason: 1200**

"It's my turn," Aspen drew her next card, "I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn with a face-down card."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and return Polymerization from my graveyard. Next I activate Polymerization to fuse Ice Edge and Stratos into Absolute Zero!" both monsters merged into the arctic ice hero (ATK: 2500), "Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, attack!"

"I activate the trap card, Curse of Anubis!" Aspen's trap opened and suddenly every one of Jason's heroes went into DEF position, "This card not only switches all your monsters to DEF mode, it also drops their DEF points to zero for this turn."

"Then I end my turn, letting Lady Heat's effect activate." Lady Heat fired three fireballs.

**Aspen: 600**

**Jason: 1200**

"It's my turn," Aspen drew her next card, "I activate the equip-spell card Scroll of Enchantment onto you Absolute Zero." her spell released a scroll that opened itself and fluttered around Absolute Zero, surrounding him in a cyclone its glowing illustrations.

"Why are you equipping it to my monster?" Jason wondered.

"Scroll of Enchantment changes the attribute of the monster it equips to. And I choose to change your Absolute Zero into a wind-attribute. That also works well with my next monster (3) Wynn the Wind Charmer(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 1500)." the monster flipped up became a girl with green hair tied in a ponytail, wearing just the same as Hiita and Eria (ATK: 500).

"I know where this is going," Jasmine said, "This duel's already over."

"I'm sure you know what this does; your Absolute Zero is mine!" Jason's stronger hero retreated to his opponent's field.

"I thought with that Water Charmer off the field I can keep my WATER monsters..." Jason whimpered, "Luckily her trap switched all my monsters to DEF mode."

"I activate Fairy Meteor Crush and equip it onto my Absolute Zero." Aspen's new Elemental Hero gained a threatening pink aura.

Jason felt his stomach turn, "Me and my big mouth..."

"Elemental Hero Absolute Zero! Attack!" Frigid vapors began to exert from Absolute Zero and the ground began to freeze. It quickly spread across the field and reached the other heroes, who suddenly became encased in prisms of ice that shattered them to pieces. Jason shielded himself as the large debris burst around him.

**Aspen: 600**

**Jason: 0**

"I guess now we know how strong a duelist you are," Aspen stated as she put away her cards, "I supposed you did have me down by less that a thousand, but anyone can make it that far and lose. It was good practice, though." she then walked off the arena, leaving Jason sulking.

"Poor guy. He must be taking this so hard." Mindy said in sympathy towards Jason.

"Why shouldn't he be," Jasmine said, "He went up against an Obelisk Blue and lost."

"It's not a loss if he learned something from it," Chakra said, drawing back the girls' attention, "I mean, he may know more now that hid did before, right?"

"Yeah, about losing. I can't wait to see him use that in his expulsion-"

"THERE HE IS!" a booming shout caught everyone's attention and a small group of Obelisk boys burst in. They swarmed onto the stage and carried Jason off before he could even fight back.

"Okay, what just happened?"

"I don't know, but it can't be good. We better follow them!" Chakra and the girls raced out of the arena to follow the crowd before they could completely lose them.

* * *

><p>They followed the mob to their boy's dorm in front of the lake, where they ran into Alexis and Jaden, "Alexis? Why are you here?" then took a look at Jaden, "And why are you soaking wet?"<p>

"Long story." Jaden simply replied.

"They were making such a fuss that even I heard it from my room!" she answered, "Any idea what's going on?"

"Whatever it is, Jason's caught in the middle of it!"

"Please, let's not do this!" Jason pleaded as two of the Obelisks held him, "We're not supposed to be fighting in school!"

"Cut the lame excuses, Slifer!" the mob's leader, Chazz, snapped, "You got some nerve sending your girlfriend over here!"

"Girlfriend?! What are you taking about?!"

Chazz snickered as if he just heard a joke, "Fine then, go ahead and play dumb; I just want to know how that girl did all those freaky tricks she did!"

"Hold on a minute!" Chakra and Alexis pushed her way into the crowd, "Just what exactly happened, Chazz?!"

"You mean you didn't hear?!" Chazz replied, "Apparently this deadbeat's too scared to stand up to us, so he sent one of his fellow Slifers to make a fool of us!"

"Jason, is that true?" Alexis questioned.

"No, it's not!" Jason blurted, "I don't know that they're talking about! I didn't send anyone!"

"Yeah, nice try, slacker!" Chazz disputed, "We heard it from that Slifer herself that she's your new roommate!"

"Wait, id you just say 'she'?!" Chakra pried, "Are you sure she's not in Obelisk? Just what did she look like?"

"I don't know much about her, but she's got black pigtails and had that creepy look!" Jason then became shocked; he knew one person with that description, "And I'm sure she's wearing a Slifer uniform!"

"We caught her walking around near out dorm and she challenged us to duel!" Raizou intruded.

"She was carrying around some old book and used some kinda dark magic and it's like she summoned her monsters in real-life! Without a duel-disk!" Todomaki added.

"And you know the worst part? She got 'em so scared that they had to beg her to let them forfeit!" Chazz jerked on the poor Slifer by his open blazer, "A Slifer Slacker made them BEG! Now someone's gonna pay!"

"That's enough!" Chakra pushed Chazz off of Jason and broke the Obelisks' hold on him, "Look, I'm gonna take care of this."

"It's none on your business!"

"Well, it's mine now! Just go about you business and leave him to me!" Chakra pushed with Jason out of the crowd and hasted far away from the Obelisks' turf.

* * *

><p>When they made it as far as the main road, Chakra and Jason, Jasmine and Mindy, and Alexis and Jaden finally stopped.<p>

"Thanks for helping me back there." Jason said.

"I don't know why you did." Jasmine said, "I mean, what do you care what happens to him?"

"Because there's something I have to make sure of..." Chakra said and returned her attention to Jason, "Jason, you have to be honest with me. Do you know anything about that girl Chazz was talking about?"

"What? Um..." Jason stammered, "I..."

"Wait, I'm kinda lost here," Jaden cut in, "What's so special about a new roommate...?"

"So, care to explain, Jason?"

Jason isn't ready for this, but there's no use brushing it off now. The Slifer dropped to his butt and looked to the ground. "Re... Remember last night when we were at the abandoned dorm? There was this girl named Calypso there. I don't know exactly what happened, but she used some kind of dark magic to transfer the rest of your souls into my cards and forced us all unto what she called a shadow game."

His explanation sent mixed signals through the small group. Jasmine and Mindy was shocked, Jaden confused, and Chakra and Alexis darkened, "I figured as much..."

"Wait, I don't get it! What's he taking about?!" Mindy alleged, panicking.

"No! You can't expect us to believe that!" Jasmine strongly disagreed. "You're just saying that because of that dream I had last night! There's no such thing as a shadow-game-"

"Jasmine was Lady Heat and then fused into Gaia!" Jason interrupted, keeping his eyes down, "Mindy was Knospe, then transformed into Poison Rose! Chakra was Stratos and then Great Tornado! And Alexis was The Shining!"

Jasmine kept her jaw agape, "How'd you..."

"I wasn't going to say anything but I had that same dream last night while I blacked out at the dorm," Alexis grimaced, "It's just as Jason described. I saw us as duel-monsters and we help Jason against some girl with dark hair. And Chazz and other Obelisks saw a similar girl fitting that description. This is too much of a coincidence..."

"Wait, back up a few!" Jaden said, "I still don't get too much of this, but I know for a fact that shadow game's aren't real. I should know, someone tried to pull that trick on me last night, too! But it was some tall guy in a mask instead of a girl."

"I don't want to believe it either... But I know what happened and I know what I saw!" Jason shivered, "What she did and how she did it, it was just too real to ignore! If I hadn't taken our duel seriously I would've-ACK!"

Jason suddenly found himself falling over with his arm being yanked behind him, "You're not fooling us! You had that night planned all along, didn't you!? Admit it!"

"W-what?! I didn't do anything!"

"C'mon, Jasmine! That's enough!" Chakra insisted.

"He had his new roommate wait at the abandoned dorm so he can lure us all there and pull that smoke-and-mirrors trick to make himself look like a hero in the end result!"

"What proof do we have that it's true?"

"What proof do we have prove that it's not true?!"

"First of all, he couldn't have duplicated my claim of staking out last night on Crowler's request, because he was the first to state it. Second, he couldn't have lured any of us there because he was only expecting someone from Slifer Red to come there, because (a: As I said from my previous vouch, he didn't expect me to come by with the very same objective, (b: you and Mindy only went there to find Alexis and (c: you two were the only ones who'd know she'd be out there, so Jason wouldn't know about her either. And third, if that girl really is a student before now we would've known about it. Besides, any transfer student have to start in Slifer Red; girls are no acception. So how would Jason send someone last night who's only come to this school just this morning..."

"Well... Because, uh... UGH! Forget it!" Jasmine abruptly released Jason, "It's doesn't matter anyway! It's his fault we got into that mess in the first place! Well, I'm staying out of this one! C'mon, Mindy! We're leaving!"

"Um, right..." she was hesitant for a moment before Mindy followed her fuming classmate.

"I don't get it! Why does stuff like this even happen to me?!" Jason whined.

"Oh c'mon, Jason. It's only been a little over a month," Chakra comforted, "It could be worse."

"I was wondering where you've been hiding!" a familiar voice called from a distance across the road, someone they rather not bump into again.

"Why now of all times..." Chakra muttered as Xiki stepped towards the small group.

"I though I'd have trouble finding you," Xiki said, "I figured you'd find some rock to hide under after having embarrassed yourself again."

"You got a lot of nerve showing your face again." Alexis scowled. "Especially after what you did earlier."

"I think Chakra's the one to talk," Xiki scoffed, eying the silver haired-girl, "I've been seeing you around that Slifer from time to time. Have you no shame!"

"Just tell us what you want!" Chakra snapped.

"Fine. What I want, is a duel with the hero duelist!"

"A duel...?"

Jaden stepped up, "If it's a duel you want, then fine! It's time I paid you back for what you did to Syrus!"

"Oh, I guess I forgot there's two of you. No, what I want is him!"

Jason noticed Xiki pointing at him. "Me?!"

"So, are you up to the challenge?" Xiki smirked, "Or would you like to admit you're a coward already and quit fooling yourself."

With Jason unable to respond, Chakra stepped in for him, "And why would he agree to that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," Xiki whipped around and walked off, waving then off in the process, "I'll be waiting at the harbor at sundown, when you're ready to lose."

"This is just not my lucky day..." Jason groaned, "I already have too much to handle!"

"There's no reason to accept her challenge. Just don't go." Chakra said.

"But what about what she did to Syrus?!" Jaden reminded, "You're saying we should forget about that?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Jaden does bring up a good point," Alexis agreed, "Remember, Syrus just got muscled out of one of his own cards; I say it's time we take it back."

"Well... I guess we could use this opportunity to get Jason some more practice."

"Right, we still have our big duel in a couple days." Jaden pointed out.

"Maybe you're all right..." Jason spoke up and stood, but kept his head to the ground, "After all, if I have to duel, I have to get back what she took..."

* * *

><p>When the sun sank into the horizon, Jason reached the harbor close to the Slifer Dorm, with Chakra aiding him. There he was spotted by Xiki, who was leaning against one of the warehouses. "You just don't know how to be punctual, do you. I guess you're too scared to go out at night without someone holding your hand."<p>

"Let's get this over with..." Jason muttered.

"Wow, you really are ready to lose, aren't you? Fine, then; I suppose I'll make this quick!" both Xiki and Jason strapped on their duel-disks and prepared their decks...

"Jason! Is that you over there?" Jason looked over to find Jaden coming over with Chumley, Syrus, Alexis and someone else.

"Jaden? You came to watch the duel?" Jason wondered.

"I came _to_ duel!" Jaden said, "Remember Syrus' brother? He's right here!" the other person came forth as a tall obelisk student in a white blazer and darker-blue hair.

"His brother goes to school here?"

"Don't you know who you're referring to?" Xiki intervened, "Seriously, even you have to know about Zane Truesdale!"

"Is that supposed to mean something...?" Jason muttered.

"You're kidding! It means you're in the presence of the greatest duelist in not only Obelisk Blue, but in all of Duel Academy," Xiki said, "You must not have seen him duel if you're so ignorant. ...Maybe we should rectify that problem!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You're here to duel, I'm here to duel, your friend and Zane are here to duel. Why don't we make this 2-on-2!"

"2-on-2... You mean like a tag-team?"

"I though it'd take a bit longer for you to catch on, but yeah. Plus it would save us some trouble of dueling one at a time. Of course, if you can't handle it..."

"Well, I say we go for it!" Jaden rushed over to Jason's side, "I rather not wait for a turn! We're gonna settle this now, Zane!"

"...I suppose if you're so eager..." Zane stepped in next to Xiki, "I could use the extra practice."

After that, everyone drew their starting hand from their active disks.

"DUEL!"

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

**Zane: 4000**

**Xiki: 4000**

"Aw, man, of all the duelists here my big brother taking on my best friend?" Syrus panicked from the sidelines, "There's no way that this could turn out good!"

"Okay, now we find out what's goin' on with Sy and his bro, and we find out how I rank with the best!" Jaden started and drew his sixth card, "Here I come, Zane! First... I'm gonna summon Elemental Hero Avian, in ATK mode!" the green-feathered hero appeared (ATK: 1000), "And I think I'll go ahead an' throw down a face-down while I'm at it!"

"That's all, huh? Okay," Zane drew, "For my first move, I summon (7) Cyber Dragon(5/ATK: 2100/DEF: 1600) in ATK mode!" his monster rose as a large serpentine dragon made of metal (ATK: 2100).

"What?! How can you bring a level-five monster out on your very first turn?" Jaden gasped.

"I can play my Cyber Dragon _because_ it's my first turn, Jaden! With no monsters out, he requires no sacrifice. And now I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your face-down card." Zane spell card blew Jaden's face-down off the field.

Jaden groaned, "That was fast..."

"Not as fast as your life-point meter will go down! Cyber Dragon, attack! Strident Blast!" the dragon rose and releaed a stream of white fire that engulfed Avian.

**Jaden: 2900**

**Jason: 4000**

**Zane: 4000**

**Xiki: 4000**

'I tried to warn him that Zane was good...!' Syrus grimaced as he watched anxiously.

"Next I activate the spell card "Different Dimension Capsule" An antiquated sarcophagus of stone appears on the field in front of Zane, "It allows me to pick any card from my deck. Then I simply place it in the Capsule... and in two turns I get to take it out and put it right into my hand." as Zane speaks, he selected a single card and removes it from play. The capsule then vanishes into the ground.

"Man, that's gotta be the best card outta his entire deck!" Jaden snickered, "I can't wait to see what's gonna come outta there!"

'Well I can,' Syrus thought, ''cause it's not gonna be pretty!'

"I end my turn." Zane concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his sixth card, 'The last time I saw Xiki with her deck she completely dominated the field! With all those powerful dragons, I better be careful...' "I set this monster in DEF mode and end my turn!" a set monster appeared in front of Jason.

"Simple and predictable, just as I expect!" Xiki drew her sixth card, "I summon Vanguard of the Dragons in ATK mode!" the dragon spearsman appeared (ATK: 1700).

"That's the card she started with when me and Sy dueled!" Chumley exclaimed.

"Now for his special-ability: I send two dragon-type monsters from my hand to the graveyard and add 300 ATK points to my Vanguard for each one (ATK: 2300)! Next, I set one card face-down, then activate the spell card Exchange! Here's how it works: we each take a look at each others' hands, and take a card from that hand!"

Jason began to sweat as his eyes darted down to his hand, 'But then...'

"And in my hand is a card you might be looking for." Xiki wiggled the card between her fingers. Meeting her opponent in the median of the field she offered the card in her opened hand before scanning over his cards, "I don't see anything worth taking; but I think I'll be taking your Polymerization card!" she swiped the card from his hand and walked back to her post, adding the card to her own.

"With that done, I'll set another card face-down and play the spell card I previously placed on the field: Card of Demise! This allows me to draw up to five new cards! And during my fifth standby-phase, all cards in my hand are sent to the graveyard!" Xiki drew five cards from her deck, "Next, I send three more dragons to the graveyard to power up my vanguard by 900 (ATK: 2300-3200)! Now, my Vanguard will attack your face-down card!" the dragon thrusted its spear into Jason's card, which was revealed as Phantom Magician before it was destroyed.

"Phantom Magician's monster effect activates," Jason said, "Now I can summon an elemental hero from my deck in DEF position, that has 1000-or-less ATK points! I'll use this effect to summon Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-limbed hero appeared on one knee with his arms crossed (DEF: 2000). After than, he settled to shuffle his deck before placing it back into his duel-disk.

"If you're done playing in the dirt, I'll end my turn!" Xiki concluded. "I believe it's the other slifer's turn."

'Yeah; and I'd better make it count,' Jaden thought, ''cause I'm startin' to get the feeling that, not only is Zane as good as everyone says he is, he might even be better! But still, that doesn't mean he's better than _me_!' "All right, round 2!" he then drew his next card, "And first I'll 'rock' _my_ Polymerization! And next I'll 'roll' out Elemental Heroes, Sparkman and Clayman! And fuse them to create Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!" the two said monsters merged into the armored giant hero (ATK: 2400), "And since his special-ability destroys monsters with less ATK points than him, your Cyber Dragon gets vaporized!" after Jaden discarded a card from his hand, Thunder Giant tossed a large bolt of lightning, "...Yes! Looks like Thunder Giant just made the 'big man on campus' get a little bit smaller, wouldn'ya say?"

"Yeah, I would say it!" Chumley cheered, but Syrus, Alexis and Chakra are less certain.

"And the best part is that since that blast was just Thunder Giant's special-ability, I still get to use his _attack_! And since you're now defenseless, I'm gonna use it directly on you!" Thunder Giant threw more larger bolts of lightning. Zane faces down the blast, his expression emotionless. He doesn't move a single centimeter, though his hair flies all over the place.

**Jaden: 2900**

**Jason: 4000**

**Zane: 1600**

**Xiki: 4000**

"You could at least kinda flinch," Jaden muttered, but then concluded his turn, "Oh well, maybe this face-down card will getcha to later."

'If Jaden lasts long enough to use it!' Syrus thought.

"Nice moves, kid," Zane almost dismissively commented, as he drew his next card, "Of course, with my field now empty again, I can just throw out another Cyber Dragon," a second dragon appeared, "Or better yet, two! I play Monster Reborn, and with just one monster in my graveyard, you can guess who's comin' back," the previous dragon returned (ATK: 2100), "But neither will be here long..." he flips over a card he's holding: Polymerization, "...in present form. Dragons, unite!" the two dragons merged into the magic vortex, "Now, (8) Cyber Twin Dragon(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2100), emerge!" The two individual Cyber Dragons have combined into a dragon with two heads.

Chumley gasped, "Twin Dragon?! One was tough enough!"

"Now my Dragon can attack twice in a round, which means, double the trouble for your monster; _and_ your life-points! Twin Dragon, attack!" the two-headed cyber dragon attacked.

"Not so fast! I've got a trap card out: A Hero Emerges!" Jaden revealed his reverse-card, surprising everyone, "Now normally, you'd have to randomly pick one of the cards in my hand, and if it was a monster, I'd get to summon it; but since I only _have_ one card in my hand, let's just get right to it, shall we? (5) Wroughtweiler(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 1200), DEF mode!" a metal black dog appeared, crouching beside the Thunder Giant (DEF: 1200).

"You'll need 'im! Cyber Twin Dragon, Double Strident Blast!" each of the dragon's heads attacked and destroyed Jaden's two monsters.

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

**Zane: 1600**

**Xiki: 4000**

"Glad you did that, because when Wroughtweiler's destroyed his special-ability activates! It brings one Elemental Hero and one Polymerization card back from the graveyard and into my hand!" Jaden returned two cards to his hand, "And just when you thought you could prob'ly stop worryin' about 'em, huh, Zane?"

"I don't worry." Zane deadpanned.

Jaden paused, then breaks down laughing, awed and excited. "Man, you're chill! Not worryin', not even flinchin', you are good!"

"You, too... Jaden."

'Whoa, since when does Zane give props!' Syrus thought while Alexis smiled.

Xiki scoffed to herself, "Not that I'm questioning his judgement or anything, but I see absolutely nothing special in these Slifer..."

"I'll end my turn here." Zane said as he set a reverse-card.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "And I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode!" the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "And due to her special-ability, I can attack you life-points directly! And when she inflicts damage, 100 points are transfered from her DEF points to her ATK points!" Knospe fired a round of projectile seeds.

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

**Zane: 1600**

**Xiki: 3400**

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 700/DEF: 900)

'Now for this...' Jason stared at the card he got from Xiki, ''Destroys any monster that attacks this card's controller directly'... That's what it says. So why did she give this to me in the first place...?' "Maybe if I can use it to my advantage, it won't matter... I activate the continuous-magic card Transformation!"

Those words caught nearly everyone's attention, "Wait, that's the card Xiki Exchanged with?" Chakra looked down to Syrus, "The card she took from you?"

Syrus lowered his head, "Yeah..."

"I can't believe you did something this stupid, yet I'm not surprised..." he looked back up and shrank when he saw the hardening look Zane gave him, "Now I know I made a mistake of trusting a card like Transformation to you."

"Hey, lay off him!" Jaden exclaimed, "Xiki stole it from him after he lost their duel! He didn't even want to give it to her!"

"Right, Jaden!" Chumley chimed.

"Wrong, Jaden!" Xiki interrupted, "When we made the deal we both agreed to forfeit any card from our deck if either of us lost!"

"Is that so..." Zane growled, "Then I rest my case. If only he didn't come here to begin with..."

"But let's look at it this way," Xiki smirked as she drew her next card, "We get to see what this super-rare card can do! I play the spell card Lightning Vortex! By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, this card destroys all face-up monsters on your field!" a series of lightning bolts struck down and destroyed the two heroes, "And with your field empty, there's nothing stopping my vanguard from attacking directly!"

"Transformation's effect activates!" Jason called, "When a monster attacks me directly, that monster's instantly destoryed!" the vanguard's advancing spear was bounced back by an energy-blazing force-field, which then let loose a burning flare that destroyed its wielder.

"Since Vanguard is destroyed by a card-effect, I can special-summon a dragon-type monster from my graveyard, like my Luster Dragon #2!" a large green dragon appeared in the vanguard's place (ATK: 2400). "And I'll have Luster Dragon attack!" the dragon unleashed a stream of jade fire.

"But that doesn't make any sense! Transformation would just block the attack and destroy your monster!" Jason said as the dragon's attack was deflected and directed back at the dragon, destroying it also.

"She just let 2 of her monster get destroyed and now she's wide-open!" Chumley said, "Does she even know what she's doing?"

"I have to agree with Chumley on this one," Chakra said, "What she's done so far makes very little sense!"

"Syrus, what exactly does Transformation do?" Alexis asked.

"Judging by what she just did, it's gonna cost Jason this duel..." Syrus muttered.

"That ends my turn." Xiki concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in ATK mode," the portly armored water hero appeared (ATK: 800), "And since Bubbleman's the only monster out on my field, I can use his special ability to draw 2 more cards to my hand," after drawing the two cards, Kuriboh cooed as he appears at his shoulder, and looked at what he drew, 'Transcendent Wings" and Winged Kuriboh! The cards I used to trash that Dragon Catapult Cannon! An evolved Winged Kuriboh would turn Zane's Cyber Twin Dragon into a pile a' cyber junk. Then, its ATK points would be dealt to him as damage! That'd be enough to drop his life-points to zero, and win the duel! But I can't summon any more monsters this round, so I'm just gonna have to wait until my next turn. Still, I won't have to wait until next turn to use another card!' "Alright, Zane, I play Polymerization, and fuse my Elemental Hero Bubbleman with Elemental Hero Clayman!" the two heroes merged and formed a warrior with a perfectly round torso and smooth stone limbs (DEF: 3000), "Now, (5) Elemental Hero Mudballman(6/ATK: 1900/DEF: 3000), rise, in DEF mode!"

"Lishus! Mudballman's got 3000 DEF points," Chumley cheered, "that Twin Dragon's attack won't get through to Jaden."

"Now, gimme your best shot, Zane!" Jaden challenged.

"My best shot? You got it!" Zane drew his next card, and Different Dimension Capsule erupts from the ground, "It's been two turns since I first activated Different Dimension Capsule; and now I can take the card I first put into it, and add it to my hand!" The capsule shatters, revealing one glowing card that he added to his hand, "You played well. But not well enough. I hope you're ready for what's coming. A good duelist is ready for anything. And that means not just knowing how to _use_ all of their cards, but knowing how to _play_ them, too. First, I'll activate this De-Fusion card, which splits my monster back into two separate Cyber Dragons," the twin dragon separated into the two metal dragons (ATK: 2100x2), "Next, I'll activate the magic of Power Bond!" Zane raises his trump card high, and it gleams like an LED beacon, "With this spell card, I'm allowed to summon a machine-type fusion monster; and with another Cyber Dragon in my hand as well, I can now fuse three of them together and create... the (9) Cyber End Dragon(12/ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000)." a point of light gleams in the dark, then explodes. Electricity crackles and a shadow comes forth out of the light, forming first two wings, then solidifying into a huge, metal dragon. As the Cyber End Dragon spreads its wings, the jeweled light on each of them light up. The dragon has three heads, each jeweled along its neck and jaw in a different color. The three heads meet, attached to a central sort of chest, which tapers down into a long tail of overlapping steel plates (ATK: 4000), "Plus, its ATK points are doubled because of Power Bond's effect!" Cyber End Dragon shines with another wave of electricity as its power rose (ATK: 8000).

"Wha- 8000?!" Chumley gasped.

"And keep in mind, when Cyber End Dragon attacks, the difference between his ATK points and your monster's DEF points are dealt to you as damage!" the dragon let out a mighty roar as the wind picked up.

As the wind intensified, Jason noticed the Transformation card began coursing with electricity, "What's going on?!"

"It's my trap card, that's what's going on!" Xiki smirked and revealed one of her reverse-cards, "With Wild Tornado out, I can destroy one spell/trap card you got face-up on the field! And guess what: when Transformation gets destroyed, the combined ATK points of every monster destroyed by its effect are taking out of your life-points!"

"Wait! It does what?!" Jason gasped; the card in question glowed as if it were about to go off.

"Cyber End Dragon, attack Mudballman! Super Strident Blaze!" the dragon's widespread blast washed over the field. It not only disintegrated Mudballman into clots of dirt, it ruptured Transformation, releasing all the power absorbed from the dragons' attacks and it went off in a large explosion. The force pushed both Slifers off their feet, Jason's cards scattering around him as he landed flat on his back.

**Jaden: 0**

**Jason: 0**

**Zane: 1600**

**Xiki: 3400**

The audience stood in dismay watching the two Obelisks stood over the Slifers.

"I can't believe it...!" Alexis stared, "They lost...!"

"No! Jaden!" Syrus ran to his roommate.

"I can't believe it..." Chakra said, "Did Jason just lose...?"

"He did!" Xiki gloated as she walked towards he fallen opponent, "And do you know why the Slifer lost? Because that's what they're here to do!" she picked the Transformation card up from the ground, "The only reason they're here in the first place is to be cannonfodder for those who are actually in a position to go pro! You in particular, Jason or whatever you call yourself; even if you do know how to play your cards, you couldn't tell that _you're_ the one being played! There's no way I'd give you a card as powerful as Transformation if I thought it'd help you win! Well, it's the other way around. And seeing how easily you were drawn toward playing it, you really are an amateur!" she then went on leaving the harbor, stepping on Jason's cards in the process, and tossing his Polymerization over her shoulder, "For what little it's worth, it was good for a laugh. See you at school, loser."

Jason sat up in fetal as he heard Xiki laughing as she left the area. He was supposed to teach her a lesson, so she wouldn't underestimate a duelist based on status. But that ended up backfiring on him and now he felt humiliated. Not only did he fail in getting Syrus' card back, he was tricked into using that same card that lost him the duel. Jason has never felt so inadequate as he is now...

"Jason..." he looked up to find Chakra knelt beside him, a distressing look on her face, "You can't beat yourself up over this. None of this is your fault."

"I... I just..." but he was unable bring his words out as he shot up and ran off, leaving his cards where they lay.

In the distance, Calypso leaned behind the warehouses, having watched the entire thing, "So there's trouble in paradise, is there?" she giggled, "It's these sort of things that makes staying here worth while..."

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Hiita the Fire Charmer  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 500/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>

**Effect: FLIP: Target 1 face-up FIRE monster your opponent controls; take control of that target while this card is face-up on the field.  
><strong>

**(2) Eria the Water Charmer  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 500/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: WATER  
><strong>

**Effect: FLIP: Target 1 face-up WATER monster your opponent controls; take control of that target while this card is face-up on the field.  
><strong>

**(3) Wynn the Wind Charmer  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 500/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: WIND  
><strong>

**Effect: FLIP: While this card is face-up on the field, take control of 1 WIND monster your opponent controls.**

**(4) Element Valkyrie  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

****************Effect: This monster gets the following effect(s) while there is a monster(s) with the following Attribute(s) on the field: ● FIRE: This card gains 500 ATK. ● WATER: Control of this card cannot switch.  
><strong>**************

**(5) Wroughtweiler  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

********Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Target 1 "Elemental HERO" card and 1 "Polymerization" in your Graveyard; add both those targets to your hand.  
><strong>******

**(6) Elemental Hero Mudballman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 1900/DEF: 3000)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

****************Effect: "Elemental Hero Bubbleman" + "Elemental Hero Clayman"  
><strong>**************

****************Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways.****************

**(7) Cyber Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1600)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

************************Effect: If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand).  
><strong>**********************

**(8) Cyber Twin Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2100)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

****************************************Effect: "Cyber Dragon" + "Cyber Dragon"****************************************

****************************************A Fusion Summon of this card can only be done with the above Fusion Material Monsters. This card can make a second attack during each Battle Phase.****************************************

**(9) Cyber End Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 10 (ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

****************************************Effect: "Cyber Dragon" + "Cyber Dragon" + "Cyber Dragon"  
><strong>**************************************

****************************************A Fusion Summon of this card can only be done with the above Fusion Material Monsters. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.****************************************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>**************************************


	11. Family Matters

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso.**

**Beta-Readers: Gammatron**

* * *

><p>"It's not that I don't appreciate extra company, I just don't understand why she has to be my roommate."<p>

"I do understand your situation, Jason; honestly I do," Banner said, "But as you may or may not know, each room is required up to three tenants. That's pretty much every room in the Slifer Dorm. The only extra space available is in your room, being that you're the only one without a roommate.

"But that really doesn't explain why she's even here. I thought all girls go to Obelisk Blue!"

"Normally that would be the case; but this girl came to this school just yesterday. So as a technicality she'll have to start in Slifer Red. But if she does well in a promotion duel, perhaps we can move her up to a higher rank. So hopefully, you won't have to worry for long."

"Okay, I appreciate it, Professor..."

After his talk with Banner, Jason left his office and let out his stifled yawn. Jason hasn't felt this tired since he had to wake up at 5 each week. With Calypso sleeping in his room he had to settle sleeping outside. It was a mistake since sleeping at the foot of the door on the cold surface caused him to lose much sleep. He doesn't understand how things could have gotten worst...

Suddenly his PDA rang and Jason answered it. It looks like someone wants a duel. Jason sighed; just another loss to chalk up on his list. But he is in his class. Maybe it'll be easy this time...

* * *

><p>After Jason entered the arena he stepped on the main stage. "Okay, I'm here. What do you want me here for...?"<p>

"Hey, don't be like that!" Rock came onto the arena, "I just called you here because I wanna ask you for a duel. You don't see anything wrong with that, do you?"

"Uh, no! Nothing's wrong! I'm just a little down, is all."

"Well I got just the cure for that," Rock activated his duel-disk, "Now let's get started!"

Jason activated his own duel-disk.

"Duel!"

**Jason: 4000**

**Rock: 4000**

"If you want, you can take the first move!"

"Thank you," Jason drew his sixth card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the fiery hero appeared (ATK: 1600-1800), "I'll end my turn there."

"Then it's my turn!" Rock drew his card, "And I'll start by summoning (*) Robot Master-Wood Man(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800) in ATK mode!" a portly-looking robot appeared whose armor seemed to be made out of tree bark (ATK: 1600), "Next, I equip him with the Wood Man-Leaf Shield spell card! That ends my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'If I remember correctly, that card can protect the monster it's attached to. But I have a way around that.' "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode!" the flowerbud heroine appeared (ATK: 600), "Next I activate the magic card Hero's Bond! When I have an Elemental Hero on my field, I can summon 2 more from my hand! So I summon Elemental Heroes Lady Heat and Woodman!" the fiery heroine (ATK: 1300) and ice-based hero (ATK: 800) appeared.

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 2400)

"Next I'll have Elemental Hero Heat attack Robot Master-Wood Man!" Heat ignited his fists and charged.

"I activate the effect of Leaf Shield!" the leaf blades gathered to form a shield and deflected Heat's attack, "And when an attack from one of your monsters is negated, Wood Man's special-ability activates, and that monster loses 100 ATK points for every card in my hand! And since I have 4 in my hand, Heat loses 400 ATK points!" the leave separated and slashed the fire hero.

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 2000)

"Now I activate Ice Edge's effect: by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, he can attack you directly! And the same goes for Knospe as well!" both of the small heroes leap and each used their respective elemental attacks to inflict damage.

**Jason: 4000**

**Rock: 2600**

"And when Knospe inflicts damage, she gains 100 ATK points but lose 100 DEF points (ATK: 700/DEF: 900)! Now I end my turn, and activate Lady Heat's effect to inflict 500 points of damage for each hero on my field! Lady Heat threw four balls of fire.

**Jason: 4000**

**Rock: 1800**

"It's my turn, now!" Rock drew his next card, "I summon (*) Robot Master-Cut Man(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 800) in ATK mode!" a red and white robot appeared with a pair or round scissors perched open on its head (ATK: 1000 ), "Next I play the (GT) Cut Man-Rolling Cutter equip-spell onto him! Now for it's special-effect, which lowers a monster's ATK power by 300!" Cut Man detached his blades and tossed it towards Heat, who blocked the attack but earned a long gash across his arms, (ATK: 2100), "And when a monster's power is lowered, Cut Man's special-ability then activates! But this time, all your monsters' ATK points are decreased by 200!" when the blades returned to him, Cut Man threw then again, this time the blades cut their way across Jason's entire army of monsters before returning.

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 1500)

Elemental Hero Lady Heat: (ATK: 1100)

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 500)

Elemental Hero Ice Edge: (ATK: 600)

"Of course Cut Man can't attack then this turn, but Wood Man can!" thrusting its arms out, Wood Man's metal leaves shot forth and cut through Lady Heat, destroying her.

**Jason: 3500**

**Rock: 1800**

"With that, I end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I send one card from my hand to the graveyard and summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode!" the merman hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "And now Elemental Hero Ocean attacks Robot Master-Cut Man!" Ocean gripped his spear and charged.

"I activate Leaf Shield's effect and block your attack!" the metal leaves formed together and deflected Ocean's attack, "Now Wood Man's ability activates: when a monster's attack is negated, that monster loses 100 ATK points for each card in my hand! And I'm holding 3 at this point, so Ocean loses 300 ATK points" the leaves separated and grazed through Ocean (ATK: 1200), "And since that happened, Cut Man's ability activates, and all your monsters lose an additional 200 ATK points!" Cut Man removed his blades and sent them hurling across the hero monsters.

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 1300)

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 300)

Elemental Hero Ice Edge: (ATK: 400)

Elemental Hero Ocean: (ATK: 1000)

"Then I'll have Elemental Hero Heat attack Cut Man!" Heat ignited his fist and got ready to bore it straight into Cut Man. When the machine threw its cutter at him, Head smashed it into pieces and the jabbed into the robot, knocking it across the field.

"Sorry, but when Cut Man's equipped with Rolling Cutter, I can just send it to the graveyard to keep him from being destroyed in battle!"

**Jason: 3500**

**Rock: 1100**

"Then Ice Edge and Knospe will attack directly!" both monsters attacked.

**Jason: 3500**

**Rock: 400**

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 400/DEF: 800)

"I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Rock drew his next card, "I summon (*) Robot Master-Bomb Man(4/ATK: 1400/600) in ATK mode!" an orange, yellow and black robot with a mohawk appeared (ATK: 1400), "And with him I'll equip the Bomb Man-Hyper Bomb spell card! And with it I can destroy a monster with 1000-or-less ATK points, like your Elemental Hero Ocean!" Bomb Man pulled out a round black ball and tossed it at Ocean, right before it exploded on contact and took Ocean with it, "And that's not all: when one of your monsters are destroyed by a card effect, you take damage equal to its original ATK points!" Bomb Man tossed another bomb, this time exploding in front of Jason.

**Jason: 2000**

**Rock: 400**

"And like Cut Man, Bomb Man can't attack on the turn his effect activates, but I'll have Wood Man attack Elemental Hero Ice Edge!" Wood Man's leaf blades cut through Ice Edge.

**Jason: 800**

**Rock: 400**

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 900)

"Finally, I place one card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

'Oh nononono, this is bad...' Jason began to panic, 'I'm starting to lose my monsters! Even if I do manage to attack on my turn, he'll still have 100 points. And even without that Leaf Shield that face-down will probably stop me somehow. Nothing's going right today! It's just like...'

"You still kicking yourself from last night?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah, I heard about what happened. So I figured I'd give you something to keep your mind off it. I thought it'd help clear your head."

"But... why me?"

"You had to ask?" Rock grinned, "'Cause I'll do anything for a friend; and we are! Let me tell you, any duelist is as strong as their will power. You'd never win unless you believe you can, and that goes both ways!"

"If you say so..."

"I know so! So let's see your next move and see what happens!"

"Alright... It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, 'Hey, this could work!' "I summon Elemental Hero Stratos!" the jetpack-wearing wind hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And when he's summoned, I can destroy as many magic/trap cards up to the number of hero monsters on my field! Since I have more monsters than you have magic/trap cards, they're all destroyed!" Stratos fired a trio of tornadoes from his jetpack that tore through Rock's cards; that included his reverse-card. "Now I'll have Elemental Hero Knospe attack you directly!" Knospe fired her round of projectile seeds at Rock.

**Jason: 800**

**Rock: 0**

"So, are you feeling any better?" Rock asked.

"A bit..."

"Well I'm happy to hear that. Later." Rock left the arena. Alone, Jason decided to leave as well.

* * *

><p>When he reached the Slifer dorm, he saw a bunch of other Slifer students gathered around the lower middle door that's Banner's office. After trying to find his way around the crowd, he met with Jaden and Syrus at the door, "Is something going on?" he asked.<p>

"Look over there!" Jaden pointed into the door. Jason poked inside with him and Syrus and saw Banner sitting crossed on a top table, with a brawny man in a white muscle shirt opposite, "That guy must be Chumley's dad!"

"He's...big." Jason managed to get out, but he was really paying attention to that round button nose.

"Looks like a bodybuilder, huh?" Syrus commented, "Though, carrying around Chumley as a kid, you'd kinda have to be."

"I mean, don't get me wrong, if Chumley was any good at dueling it'd be one thing," Mr. Huffington said, "But clearly he's not. He's wasting his time here! It's time for him to give up dueling and come back home!"

"I see your point," Banner said, "Chumley is a bit, uh..."

"He's a bit dense! You can say it, that's why I want 'im to come home and join the family business! The hot sauce business! ...You do like hot sauce."

"Oh, yes. I love it," Banner said, though unconvinced, "I can't get enough of it."

Loud an' clear," Mr. Huffington hefted a gigantic wrapped bottle, about three feet tall, with red peppers on the front, and plunked it on the table. "Here! Free sample!"

"Ohh, no. I really couldn't..."

"Oh, yes, ya could! I thought about giving you a bottle of rice wine I make on the side, but then I remembered that this is a school! Just think of this as a goodbye gift from me an' Chumley."

"So he's really dropping?" Syrus gasped.

"No, not if we can help it, Syrus. Come on! We gotta go talk some sense into 'im!"

* * *

><p>Jaden, Syrus and Jason run up the Dorm building's outside stairs and into their room where they see Chumley already sitting on the floor packing.<p>

"...Hey, what're you doing, Chumley?" Jaden asked.

"What's it look like?" Chumley grunted.

"It 'looks' like you're givin' up! Like you're takin' everything you've worked for and throwing it away! Like you're abandoning all your dreams. All of your dueling goals. And you don't even care!" then his roommate didn't respond, Jaden grabs for his shoulder. Chumley looks up at him, tears running down his cheeks. Jaden pulls back, surprised.

"I guess he does care." Jason muttered.

"No. I got somethin' in my eye, okay? Both of 'em," Chumley lied, bitterly wipes his eyes with the sleeve of his blazer, "Now just leave me alone, wouldja? I mean... it's not like I'm worth wasting your time on anyhow. At least, according to my dad I'm not! But he doesn't know; I really could be a champion duelist. Because I have a special power that I haven't told anybody! Sometimes, duel-monsters talk to me!"

'Cards can talk...?' Jason thought, wondering how that could be possible.

"Well, did you tell this to your dad, Chumley?" Jaden asked.

"Of course not!" Chumley replied, pained, "Everything to him is just 'hot sauce, hot sauce, hot sauce'!"

"Come on!" Jaden grabbed Chumley by the shoulder and towed him out the door, with Syrus and Jason following.

* * *

><p>"So, there ya have it. Chumley can't be allowed to drop out," Jaden finished his story in the Chancellor's office, with Mr. Huffington and Banner also present, "He's got a gift."<p>

"Oh, sure; a gift for eating grilled cheese!" Mr. Huffington scoffed, causing Chumley to shrink.

"Look, I know Chumley, I'm his roommate. Not to mention, his pal."

"Yeah, me too," Syrus added, "Uhh, what Jaden said."

"Look, boys; I respect you sticking up for your friend here," the Chancellor said, "but I'm afraid that this is a personal matter. It's not your business."

"That's right, it's family business," Huffington smirked, "Which is why I propose a duel!"

"Huh?!" was all Chumley said.

"That's right; father versus son! If you have this 'special gift' your friends say, you should beat me easy! And I'll let ya stay at the Academy! But, if ya lose... Then, ya come home."

"It's a deal!" Chumley agreed,

"Good! Then let's duel first thing tomorrow morning! How does that sound, Chancellor?"

"So be it. Tomorrow morning it will be decided: will Chumley stay, or go."

* * *

><p>As the Slifers and Banner walk back to their dorm...<p>

"See, guys, what'd I tell ya?" Jaden laughed, "It was a piece a' cake to convince Chumley's dad to let 'im stay at the Academy!"

"Jaden, we just convinced 'im to a duel," Syrus pointed out, "Chumley still has to win if he's going to stay."

"Yeah, but come on. Chumley's dad doesn't know how to duel. He's an amateur; am I right?"

"I don't know..." Jason spoke, "He seems confident that Chumley would lose. Wouldn't he be that good?"

"Actually, he's been state duel champion three years in a row," Banner cleared his throat and the Slifers gasped, "Why do you think he was so insistent Chumley go to dueling school? He wanted his son to be like him. Ohh, and wait 'til you see his deck. As you all know, he earns a living off his special hot sauce. Well, his deck reflects the kick of the sauce; it can take you out in one turn, like a buffalo wing takes you out in one bite! And oh, the morning after..." most of the Slifers groaned afterwards.

"So Chumley accepted knowing all of that?" Jaden then turned to Chumley, who has a determined scowl on his face, "Chumley. you must really wanna stay then, huh!" he laughed and drags Syrus a few steps into a group hug with Chumley. "Now come on! Let's go get your deck ready, Chum!"

That reminded Jason; if Chumley is going to improve his cards, then he should keep up for his tag-duel tomorrow. But he'll need stronger cards. And there's one person he could think of to help...

* * *

><p>"You want me to fix your deck?" Chakra asked, when she met Jason in the main building.<p>

"I want to make sure it could help Chumley win us our tag-duel tomorrow," Jason said, "So I guess what I want to as is, do you have any spare cards that can help me with that?"

"Sorry, I just don't have the cards to spare," Chakra shrugged, "But if you wanted powerful cards, why don't you try the card shop?"

"I would if I could but, I don't have any money; least of all to buy cards with."

"Wait, you mean you don't know about DP?"

"Huh?"

"Duel Points. You get them after you play in duels. The amount of points you get vary on how you win your duels."

"They really have that? I didn't know they could do that!"

"Here, let me see your duel-pilot," Jason gave Chakra his PDA and she looked into it, "It's not much, but it's enough for you to but a few packs. C'mon, let's go."

* * *

><p>After entering the shop, Jason managed to buy three 9-card packs. After taking a nearby table with Chakra, he opened the packs and looked through them.<p>

"Listen, when we finish modifying your deck, we should make sure it works," Chakra said, "Is there anyone you'd want to try it out on? I could help if you want."

"I appreciate it, but I already have someone in mind…"

"Who's that…?"

* * *

><p>Early in the next mourning, Jason went to the main building for his practice. There he met Professor Banner in what he's told is the Slifer arena, which is a small room with wood-paneled walls and tatami-mat floors. It looks mostly like a martial-arts dojo. Jaden, Syrus, Rock and Chumley were sitting neatly at the edge of the mat with their house cat. Jason stood on one side with Banner on the other, both wearing duel-disks.<p>

"I'm glad you agreed to help me out, Mr. Banner," Jason said, then looked to his feet, "But why do we all have to be barefoot?"

"No particular reason," Banner said, "It's just proper manners. You wouldn't want anyone tracking mud on your floor, would you?"

Jason shirked away, "No, uh, I didn't mean it like that! I mean…"

Banner chuckled, "Don't worry about it. Let's get on with the duel, shall we!" soon both duel-disks were activated and the duelists drew their starting hand.

"Duel!"

**Banner: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Okay, here goes…" Jason drew his first card, "I place one card face-down, and then summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode," the fiery heroine appeared (ATK: 1300), "Now I end my turn and let Lady Heat activate her effect, inflicting 200 points of damage for each hero on the field." Lady Heat threw a small fireball at Banner.

**Banner: 3800**

**Jason: 4000**

"That's a great opening move!" Jaden said, "He not only set up a counter attack with that face-down card, he also dealt damage before Professor Banner could!"

"A fine start. Let's see what I can do…" Banner drew his card, "I activate the Nobleman of Extermination spell card!" the card was placed into the teacher's duel-disk and a large, bulky knight appeared with a giant sword.

"A knight…?" Jason blinked.

"Yes, indeed. And this knight can take one face-down spell/trap card and remove it from the game," The knight tossed its sword and stuck Jason's set card. The Slifer then removed his Monster Recovery card and put it away, "Next I summon this: the (4) Different Dimensional Crazy Beast(3/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1400)," a spot of space on the field rippled and a large, worm-like creature with rear legs stuck out of it (ATK: 1400), "And what's special about this monster, when it destroys another monster, then that monster is removed from the game," the beast reached out and grabbed Lady Heat by the teeth, pulling her through the distortion before going back outside again.

**Banner: 3800**

**Jason: 3900**

"Finally, I place one card face-down and end my turn." A reverse card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat!" Lady Heat's male counterpart appeared (ATK: 1600), "And while Heat's on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for each hero on the field (ATK: 1800)! Now attack Different Dimensional Crazy Beast!" Heat's fists ignited and punched the crazy beast, destroying it.

**Banner: 3400**

**Jason: 3900**

"I end my turn."

"Then I guess it's my turn again," Banner drew his next card, "And I activate the spell card Dark Core! By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, one of your face-up monsters are removed from play," Heat looked up as a crackling black orb formed over his head and pulled him in before it shrunk back into nothingness. "Next, I set this monster face-down in DEF mode. That ends my turn."

"But why DEF mode…?" Syrus wondered, "With Jason's field empty it would be the perfect chance to deal direct damage to his life points."

"Jason better be careful with his next move." Rock said.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean!" the merman hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "Attack that face-down card!" Ocean charged and cut the card in half with his lance. He backed away as a woman with tribal clothes rose to the field.

"The monster you destroyed was the (5) Lady Assailant of Flames(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)," Banner explained, "And since she was flipped face-up when she was destroyed, I can now remove from play the top three card from my deck and deal 800 points of damage to your life-points." The assailant threw four small daggers that struck through Jason, before she disappeared.

**Banner: 3400**

**Jason: 3100**

"And one of the monster that were removed happens to be the (6) Different Dimensional Scout Plane(2/ATK: 800/DEF: 1200). That means that during the end-phase, it can be summoned back to the field in ATK position."

"Then I place one card face-down and end my turn." Jason concluded, and from a ripple in space came a spherical orb with robot-like extensions (ATK: 800).

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I switch my Scout Plane to DEF mode, and summon (7) Different Dimensional Crow(1/ATK: 100/DEF: 100) in DEF mode as well," a small black crow with cybernetic implants landed on the field (DEF: 100), "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge in ATK mode," the ice-armored hero appeared (ATK: 600), "And by sending one of my card from my hand to the graveyard, Ice Edge can attack you directly!"

"I activate my trap card, Dimensional Prison!" Banner's trap opened and a hole ripped in space, where Ice Edge was sucked inside before it closed. "Dimensional Prison removes a monster from play the moment it attacks."

"I attack with Elemental Hero Ocean!" Ocean cut down the sphere and it exploded. "I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I summon (8) Different Dimensional Assailant(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1600) in ATK mode," a masked female warrior wrapped in bandages appeared with a large claymore in hand (ATK: 1700), "Assailant, attack Elemental Hero Ocean!"

"I activate the trap card Reinforcements!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "This gives my monster 500 ATK points, so it's stronger than yours!" Ocean managed to dodge the assailant's attack and land a critical strike that destroyed her. A distortion in space then stood in her position and sucked Ocean in.

"Your monster may be stronger, but Different Dimensional Assailant has a special-ability that removes her along with the monster that destroyed her from play."

**Banner: 3100**

**Jason: 3100**

"Finally I place one card face-down."

"Then it's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set this monster face-down in DEF mode."

"That lets me activate this trap card: Different Dimensional Trap Hole," Banner's reverse-card opened and a large hole opened up under Jason's card, which was revealed as Elemental Hero Woodsman who fell inside before the hole closed. "This card removes a monster from play the moment it's set face-down."

"I end my turn…"

"It's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I summon (9) Chaos Rider Gustaph(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1500) in ATK mode," a green-skinned fiend appeared in a terrifying red motorcycle (ATK: 1400), "And by removing two of my spell card in my graveyard from play, he gains 300 ATK points for each card until the end of my opponent's turn," Gustaph held onto to the handlebars as the motorcycle came to life (ATK: 1400-2000), "Now, since you have no monsters on your field, Gustaph is free to attack you directly!" Gustaph sped towards Jason and struck him with its sword before turning back to his side of the field.

**Banner: 3100**

**Jason: 1100**

"With that, I end my turn."

"It's my turn…" Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe!" the flowerbud hero appeared, "And then I activate the magic card Rose Bud! Now Elemental Hero Knospe becomes Elemental Hero Poison Rose!" the Knospe was then enveloped in a giant rose bud before it bloomed, revealing a young woman in a leak-knit dress (DEF: 2000), "That's it for my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I summon Diskblade Rider in ATK mode!" a green-skinned fiend on a blue motorcycle appeared (ATK: 1700), "And by removing one of my trap card in my graveyard from play, it gains 500 ATK points for the rest of this round (ATK: 1700-2200), "Diskblade Rider, attack Elemental Hero Poison Rose!" Diskblade Rider rode forth.

"I activate my trap card, Castle Walls!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "It give my monster 500 DEF points for the rest of this turn, so now it can withstand Diskblade Rider's attack!" the monster's attack was deflected by a wall of thick vines (DEF: 2000-2500) before turning back to his field.

**Banner: 2800**

**Jason: 1100**

"And when Poison Rose inflicts damage, 200 points are moved from her DEF to her ATK points (ATK: 1900-2100/DEF: 2000-1800)!"

"In that case, I'll end my turn here."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I switch Poison Rose to ATK mode and attack Chaosrider!" Poison Rose rose up and lashed at the chaosrider with a whip made of vines.

**Banner: 2100**

**Jason: 1100**

"And when she inflicts damage, she gets even more stronger (ATK: 2100-2300/DEF: 1800-1600)! I place one card face-down and end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Pot of Greed, and draw two more cards from my deck. Next I summon (10) Bazoo the Soul-Eater(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 900)!" a horned baboon creature appeared on the field (ATK: 1600), "And by removing up to three monsters in my graveyard from play, hits ATK points increase by 300 for each one, until the end of my opponent's turn. I remove Different Dimensional Crazy Beast, Lady Assailant of Flames and Diskblade Rider," a glowing red orb appeared in Bazoo's claws before it swallowed it whole (ATK: 1600-2500), "Bazoo, attack Poison Rose!" Bazoo pounced off the ground towards Poison Rose.

"I activate my trap card, Kunai with Chain!" Jason's reverse-card opened and a multi-pronged blade rose out of it, which Poison Rose caught with one of her vines, "By equipping it onto Poison Rose as an equip-spell, she gains 500 extra ATK points (ATK: 2300-2800)! Poison Rose, counterattack!" Poison Rose swung her vine and slashed the baboon with her blade, destroying it.

**Banner: 1600**

**Jason: 1100**

Elemental Hero Poison Rose: (ATK: 2800-3000/DEF: 1600-1400)

"Then I'll switch chaosrider to DEF position, and end my turn with a face-down." Banner concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in ATk mode!" the jetpack hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And since there's another Elemental Hero on my field, I can use Stratos' effect to destroy your face-down card!" Stratos launched a couple of cyclones from the rotors of his jetpack.

"Then I'll counter your effect with said face-down; activate Karma Cut!" Banner's reverse-card opened and created a vortex the cyclones were sucked into, by discarding one card from my hand, I can remove one of the monsters in your field from play. And the monster I choose will be your Elemental Hero Poison Rose." Poison Rose was then sucked into the vortex.

"Then I'll have Stratos attack your chaosrider!" Stratos fired another pair of twisters and destroyed the biker. "That ends my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I activate the continuous-spell Messenger of Peace. As long as this card remains on the field, no monsters with 1500-or-more ATK points can wage battle, just as long as I pay 100 life-points during my standby-phase to keep it on the field. That's it for my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set this monster in DEF mode and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Banner drew his next card.

**Banner: 1500**

**Jason: 1100**

"And I'll match your move by playing this monster in DEF as well. That will be it for my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I'll place this one-card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Banner drew his next card.

**Banner: 1400**

**Jason: 1100**

"And I summon the monster I placed face-down: (11) Dimensional Jar(2/ATK: 200/DEF: 200)!" the monster card flipped open as a steel, cubic container (ATK: 200), "And it comes we a very handy special-ability. Now each of us must remove up to three monsters from each others' graveyard from play," the cards in both players' graveyards became present on the field for their opponent to see, "And seeing that the only monsters in your graveyard are your Elemental Hero Flash and Elemental Hero Knospe, I'll remove them from play." The monster card vanished.

Jason looked at Banner's cards and saw Bazoo, Chaosrider, and three copies of D.D. Scout Plane, seeing what happened last time, he doesn't want any more monsters to fill Banner's field, "I choose Chaosrider, Bazoo and Different Dimensional Scout Plane." The three monster cards vanished before the rest did as well.

"Next, I sacrifice my Dimensional Jar to summon the (12) Tongue Twister(6/ATK: 400/DEF: 300) in DEF mode!" the jar vanished and was replaced by a giant tongue with an eyeball and teeth (DEF: 300), "That's it for my turn." The Scout Plane was then summoned to the field (ATK: 800).

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Silent Swordsman in ATK mode!" the small, sword-wielding warrior appeared (ATK: 1000), "And with 1000 ATK points, I can get past your spell card and destroy your monster!" Silent Swordsman cut the sphere in half.

**Banner: 1200**

**Jason: 1100**

"Then I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn," Banner drew his next card.

**Banner: 1100**

**Jason: 1100**

"I summon (13) Different Dimensional Survivor(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 200) in ATK mode," a warrior shrouded in a tattered brown cloak appeared (ATK: 1800), "I'll end my turn there."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I'll have Silent Swordsman attack your DEF monster!" the swordsman cut down the tongue monster.

"Why thank you. You activated Tongue Twister's special-ability," Banner said, "When it's destroyed in battle, I can remove it from play and draw two extra cards."

"Then I'll end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I'll skip the cost of Messenger of Peace and destroy it instead," the spell shattered, "Then I activate the spell card Nobleman of Crossout!" when the spell was played a smaller, more leaner knight appeared, "Do you see the resemblance? Because when Nobleman of Crossout is activated, one of your face-down monsters are removed from play," the knight sliced the monster in two, which revealed to be Phantom Magician, "Next I summon (14) Dimensional Alchemist(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 200) to the field in ATK mode!" an caped, armored figure appeared with gold gauntlets and shrouded under a hood and mask (ATK: 1300), "Next I activate its special-ability: once per turn, I can remove the top card in my graveyard from play and increase its ATK power by 500 until the end-phase (ATK: 1300-1800), "Dimensional Alchemist, attack the Silent Swordsman!" the alchemist created an orb of dark energy and fired it at the swordsman.

"I activate the trap card, Reverse Trap!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "So for the rest of this turn, any effect that increases ATK points decreases them instead!" the card's spirit swatted back the ball with a racket and fired it back at the alchemist (ATK: 1800-800), "Now, Silent Swordsman, counterattack!" the swordsman slashed the alchemist and destroyed it.

**Banner: 900**

**Jason: 1100**

"When Dimensional Alchemist is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, it's special-ability activates," Banner explained and added a card from his pocket to his hand, "Now I can take a monster that was removed from play and add it to my hand. Finally I end my turn with a face-down card."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the field-magic card, Fusion Gate! Now I can special-summon fusion monsters without Polymerization! So I remove Elemental Hero Stratos from my field and Elemental Hero Voltic from my hand so that I can special-summon Elemental Hero The Shining!" the two monsters fused together and the shining white hero appeared (ATK: 2600).

"I never seen him use that monster!" Jaden said, "Wonder what it does!"

"Whatever it is, I'm sure we'll expect a lightshow!" Rock said.

"When Elemental Hero the Shining is on the field, his ATK points increase by 300 for every Elemental Hero that are removed from play! And so far, there's 10! So the Shining gains 3000 ATK points!"

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 2600-5600)

"Now Shining attacks Different Dimensional Survivor!" the blades behind Shining began to move and shoot their way towards the target.

"I activate the trap, Negate Attack!" Banner's reverse-card blew out a strong cyclone pushing back the blades, "Now your attack is negated and the battle-phase ends."

"Then I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "And I activate the quick-play spell card, Burial from a Different Dimension! With this, I can select up to three monsters that are removed from play, and return them to the owner's graveyard. And the card I choose will be your Elemental Heroes Knospe, Poison Rose and Woodsman!" Jason returned the three cards to the graveyard.

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 5600-4700)

"And then, I summon (15) Gren Maju Da Eiza(3/ATK: ?/DEF: ?) to the field in ATK mode!" when the card was played, a massive beast torso appeared under a red exoskeleton with wings. It crawled on its giant underbelly behind Banner (ATK: ?).

"Wait a minute, am I seeing this right? A question mark for ATK points?" Jaden asked confused; Jason wondered the same thing.

"Oh, it has ATK points, just not by itself," Banner explained, "You see, instead of having a based set of ATK and DEF points, this monster relies on the cards that I removed from play, 400 points apiece. And since I have fourteen of my cards removed, he now has 5200 ATK and DEF points!"

Gren Maju Da Eiza: (ATK: 5200/DEF: 5200)

"Now, Gren Maju Da Eiza, attack Elemental Hero the Shining!" the red creature swiped its claws and tore the hero into shreds.

**Banner: 900**

**Jason: 600**

"When Shining is sent to the graveyard, I can add 2 Elemental Hero monster that are removed from play to my hand," Jason explained and added the two card, "And I choose Elemental Heroes Stratos and Ice Edge."

"And with that, I end my turn. But not before the ability of my Different Dimensional Survivor activates. Because when he's removed from play, he comes back during the end-phase. But this time I'll place him in DEF mode." The shrouded warrior returned (DEF: 200).

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I use Fusion Gate's effect and remove from play Stratos and Ice Edge, so I can summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" the two heroes fused and became the armored wind hero (ATK: 2800), "And when he's summoned, all of your monsters lose half their ATK and DEF points!" Great Tornado fired at the two monsters with a couple of twisters from his shoulderpads.

D.D. Survivor: (ATK: 1800-900/DEF: 200-100)

Gren Maju Da Eiza: (ATK: 5200-2600/5200-2600)

"Now attack Gren Maju!" Great Tornado launched another cyclone and destroyed the red monster.

**Banner: 700**

**Jason: 600**

"I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Banner drew his next card, "I place this one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "Alright, Great Tornado, attack his life-points directly!" the wind hero prepared for yet another attack.

"I activate the trap card, Different Dimensional Dynamite!" Banner's reverse-card opened, and a giant bundle of dynamite sticks attached to a timer stood in the way, "Now you take damage equal to the number of your cards removed from play x300." Jason started to panic.

"Wait, how many does that make?" Jaden quickly asked.

"Well, there's that face-down card, then Elemental Heroes, and then…" Rock easily gave up counting, "I don't know! I lost track!"

Jason quickly shielded himself as the explosive suddenly burst into fire, taking the monsters with it and taking the last of his life-points.

**Banner: 700**

**Jason: 0**

"But… he was so close," Syrus gasped at the end result, "If he summoned a strong-enough monster he would've won!"

"He destroyed Banner's powerful monster," Rock said, "But Banner happened to draw a card that turned this whole thing around!"

"How does this sort of thing happen…" Jason muttered as he sulked back down. "I can't believe I lost again."

"It's not exactly losing if it gives you room to improve," Jason looked up to see Banner squat in front of him, "Remember, this is to help you get ready for you big duel. If you won then there's nothing for you to learn on how to better improve your skills. Isn't that what you're aiming for?"

"I guess so…" Jason said, "I just hope it'd actually help when I need it."

"Maybe this would put your skills to the test…" Banner stood up and reached into his pocket, "When I was about your age, there's this one tournament that awarded a special series of cards to whoever made it to the finals," he took out three cards as if on cue, "And they're right here."

Jason stood up as the other Slifers gathered to take a look at he cards. Jaden's the first one to express his excitement, "I don't believe it! You actually have these?!"

Banner nodded, "And these cards would be better off with whoever can fully merge them in their deck. That's why I decided to give them to Jason."

Jason gaped, "Wha… Me?"

"Well, lending them, actually," Banner gave the cards to Jason, "These will be most helpful in your tag-duel. If you can use them to pass, they'll be in your hands from then on; that is, if you're ready."

"That's very nice…" Jason smiled a bit, "Thank you, Professor Banner."

"Alright, save the sappy stuff for later!" Mr. Huffington came in, a duel-dusk strapped on his crossed arms, "I got a duel to win!"

"Good luck…" Jason said to Chumley, who then nodded. Soon, he and his dad are staring each other down in place on the field.

"All right. Chumley, Mister Huffington, you both know what the stakes are for this match. If Chumley wins, he gets to stay at school," Banner reviewed, "However, if he loses the duel, well then, he has to go back home."

"That's right," Mr. Huffington agreed, "or my hot sauce won't chap your lips!"

"Chumley? You sure you are okay with this? Can you handle going to work for your dad's hot sauce company? Chapped lips..."

" I can handle anything right now!"

"Fine. Then without further ado, let's begin the duel, gentlemen!" Banner said.

"All right!"

"Go time."

**Chumley: 4000**

**Huffington: 4000**

"Here I come!" Chumley started and looked into his first drawn card, 'Totally licious!' "First, I'll play Des Koala in ATK mode!" the giant koala hopped out of the card and onto the field (ATK: 1100).

"In _ATK_ mode?" Mr. Huffington huffed, "Don't ya know if you first played 'im in DEF mode _then _flipped him into ATK mode later, Des Koala's special-ability woulda caused me to take 400 points of damage for every card in my hand?!"

"Yeah, of course I knew that..." Chumley brooded, "At least now I do."

"Now's too late! You shoulda taken your studies more seriously! Maybe now you'll learn!" Mr. Huffington then drew his card.

"Watch him closely, children; you may learn something." Banner whispered.

"Seeing as how he's a state champ, I don't doubt it," Jaden said, "I just hope it's not the one-turn knockout he's known for!"

"Here I come! I summon (16) Dizzy Tiger(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 600) in ATK mode!" out came a bipedal feline with fur, stripes, and claws, wearing a shirt, pants, and shades, and carrying a big bottle of hot sauce. It lands on the field in a predatory crouch, but staggers back as soon as it stands, practically falling over backward.

"A dizzy... tiger?" Chumley blinked.

"So... why's he dizzy?" Syrus wondered.

"It looks like too much hot sauce..." Jaden guessed.

"Doesn't anyone think that tiger's looks, I don't know, kinda drunk?" Jason asked. "Is there something in that bottle _besides_ hot sauce?"

"You're not alone on that." Rock said.

"Dizzy Tiger, attack! Hot Sauce Slash!" the tiger reached for Des Koala with one clawed hand, and punched it into shards. Next the claws reached for Chumley, and pass right through him, leaving the air thick with the odor of hot sauce.

"Ugh, that's hot sauce all right." Chumley grips his nose.

**Chumley: 3300**

**Huffington: 4000**

"Oh, boy. That stinks!" Jaden said.

"But his attack sure didn't." Syrus said.

Huffington laughed as Dizzy Tiger staggered from one foot to the other, distractedly attempting to balance. "At this rate we'll be home before dinner; which'll be hot sauce, I might add!"

"I'll tell you what you can do with your hot sauce!" Chumley snapped.

"Hey, keep your cool, there, Chumley." Jaden called.

"It's nice that he's standing up for himself in front of his dad, though..." Syrus commented, but then he caught Mr. Huffington glaring at him and scrambled behind Jaden

"Chum, fight back!"

"I know!" Chumley drew his next card and looked at it, 'Licious. Yeah, this might just work!' "All right! I activate the spell card, Koala March! With it, I can summon a koala monster back from my graveyard, as long as it's a level-4-or-below." the Des Koala that was destroyed last round returned to the field (ATK: 1100).

"Hey, look! Now Chumley has his Des Koala on the field again." Syrus said.

"That's true. I just hope that he can work it better this time around." Jaden said.

"Not 'it', them," Banner corrected, "Koala March also lets him summon another monster from his hand, if it's the same one he brought back from the graveyard. And if I know Chumley..."

"I summon another Des Koala!" another Des Koala appeared (ATK: 1100), "And I sacrifice both of them to summon, Big Koala(7/ATK: 2700/DEF: 2000)!" The two koalas combined together in a whirlwind and reveal in their place a blue koala big enough to sit on either of them (ATK: 2700).

Huffington started to sweat, but didn't show any fear, "Not bad."

"No duh, 'not bad'. Now, Big Koala, attack Dizzy Tiger! Takedown From Down Under!" Big Koala galloped toward the other monster on all fours. It grabbed Dizzy Tiger around the waist in one of its paws, lifted it over its head and slammed it to the floor, destroying it.

**Chumley: 3300**

**Huffington: 3100**

"Dizzy Tiger's gone-zo." Chumley announced as his friends cheered for his performance.

"So, ya wanna fight. All right..." Mr. Huffington drew his next card, "let's fight. I call (17) Dizzy Angel(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 400)!" a man appeared with big feathery white wings, a slick white suit, long blond hair, and of course, a big bottle of hot sauce. He lands on the field, staggering dozily on his feet, letting out a sigh tinged with red.

"He reeks a' hot sauce, too," Chumley gagged, "And from how he can hardly stand up, I'd say he's had his fair share of it!"

"Now I activate the spell card, Hot Sauce Bottle!" Mr. Huffington's spell appeared on the field as a large carafe of hot sauce, maybe twice the volume of the angel's bottle. The angel stared at it in awe, practically drooling, "And I also activate the spell card, Flipping the Table!" Chumley uneasily noticed that the floor they're standing on has become a great big round wooden tabletop. With a shout of effort, Huffington lifts his end of the table and flips it. Chumley was thrown off with Dizzy Angel, Big Koala, and the Hot Sauce Bottle tumbling head-over-heels. Big Koala crashed to the floor and shatters, just barely missing Chumley, who coughed as the dust clears.

"What a card," Mr. Huffington laughed, "It destroys everything on my field; everything except for itself, that is! And then the same amount of cards on _your_ field are also destroyed! Now you're left defenseless."

"That must be his special one-strike attack...!" Syrus guessed.

"Yeah... and I don't know if I like it," Jaden frowned, "It totally resets the field; it's hardly even fair!"

"That's just like you!"" Chumley scowled, "you don't like somethin' so you trash it!"

Mr. Huffington laughed, "I didn't get to be a hot sauce tycoon by being nice, son." Dizzy Angel staggered into view, still halfway comatose from hot sauce overdose.

"Hey, why is Angel back? Wasn't he destroyed by Flipping the Table?"

"Wishful thinking. But ya see, Dizzy Angel has a special-ability: he can't be destroyed by the effect of Flipping the Table!"

What?! Aw, great! Now this guy's gonna keep weirdin' me out..."

"Gets worse; 'cause when my one Hot Sauce Bottle is destroyed 'n' sent to the graveyard, its special-effect activates; that causes you 500 points of damage!"

**Chumley: 2800**

**Huffington: 3100**

The air around Chumley suddenly filled with pinkish hot sauce fumes. "Ugh, does it have to stink, too?!"

"But I'm not done yet! Dizzy Angel, go in for your attack! Hot Sauce Sizzler!" Dizzy Angel hefted his hot sauce bottle, points the mouth of the bottle toward Chumley, and fired a beam of red light from it. The audience gasped as the gap widened.

**Chumley: 1000**

**Huffington: 3100**

"I just can't win!" Chumely whined.

'Don't worry, son, this'll be over soon!' Mr. Huffington thought, "Make your move, why don'tcha!"

"But make sure you think it through, Chumley," Banner advised, "Otherwise, you'll be back home bottling hot sauce."

"Duh, I know," Chumley drew his next card, 'Hey… it's this card.'

_Flashback…_

_During the night before, Chumley was modifying his deck with Jaden and Syrus in their room._

_"What's with Chumley's cards?" Jaden wondered, looking through his friends cards, "They're all koalas!"_

_"Koalas are my favorites, duh!" Chumley replied._

_"Now, don't get me wrong, Chumley... Koalas are cool, but… can you win with them?"_

_"Here, try this card out," Syrus hands Chumley a card for him to take, "I got it a while back but never use it. Maybe you can."_

_"Wow, Sy... really?"_

_"Yeah, if you join it with one of your koalas, you'll have yourself a deck from down under!"_

_…End Flashback._

'Well, I guess now's as good a time as any.' Chumley stocked the card into his hand in place of another, "First, I activate the spell card, Silent Doom! With it, I'm allowed to summon one monster back to the field, from the graveyard! And I choose, Big Koala!" the giant koala returned (DEF: 2000), 'They won't kick me out without a fight!' "Next I activate, "Polymerization! And fuse Big Koala with the Des Kangaroo in my hand, to create the (18) Master of Oz(9/ATK: 4200/DEF: 3700)!" the giant koala merged with a green-furred kangaroo with boxing gloves. In their place is a huge, muscular green and yellow koala with long, hairy ears and great big red boxing gloves (ATK: 4200).

"Just when I tought they couldn't get any bigger…!"

Mr. Huffington raised an eyebrow, 'Like I didn't see that coming.'

_Flashback…_

_"Oh, hey; and I got somethin' for ya, too. It could really come in handy," Jaden offered Chumley the fusion-monster, "After all, with 4200 ATK points it packs a pretty good wallop."_

_"You would really just give me such a powerful card, Jaden?"_

_"Yeah, of course I would; we're buddies, and that's what buddies do for each other," Jaden itched his nose, "Besides, you belong here with us."_

_Chumley smiled tentatively as Mr. Huffington watched the whole thing from outside through the cracked-open door._

_…End Flashback._

"Now go, Oz! Outback Attack!" Master of Oz tackled Dizzy Angel and it slides back to the other end of the field, shattering in a burst of smoke.

**Chumley: 1000**

**Huffington: 700**

"What a shot!" Jaden cheered.

Mr. Huffington coughed, "I'm still here."

"Yeah? So bring it!" Chumley challenged.

"Aw, man, Chum almost had 'im there! This is close." Syrus said.

"Yeah, this one is goin' right down to the wire!" Jaden said.

"Chumley. You fought a good duel, but you've lost.' Mr. Huffington said.

"Whadda you talking about?!" Chumley argued, "Master of Oz has 4200 ATK points!"

"It doesn't matter. You forget, with one flip of the table, he'll be gone."

"That card doesn't scare me, dad! You forget, I know its weakness!"

"Flipping the Table has a weakness?" Jaden asked, confused.

"That's right. Once you use it you can't summon up a monster. And that means, you'll be defenseless, dad! I'll win, you'll lose."

"Not bad, son. You've accurately spotted the card's weak spot," Mr. Huffington smiled, "I'm very impressed with you! But still, it won't change things!" he drew his next card, "See, with what I have planned, so what if I'm defenseless! Two Hot Sauce Bottles!" two more large bottles appeared.

"Wait, if one bottle's destroyed he takes five hundred points of damage. So if two are destroyed..."

"It'll be bad." Jaden finished for Syrus.

"I activate, Flipping the Table!" he lifted the wooden edge and sent the table flying. Master of Oz and the two Hot Sauce Bottles tumbled into the air and exploded in a burst of sparks and a puff of smoke. Chumley coughs from the hot-sauce fumes. "That's two bottles down! So that means, 1000 points of damage to you!"

**Chumley: 0**

**Huffington: 700**

"I don't believe it!" Syrus said, "Chumley lost…"

Mr. Huffington only glared at his fallen son. He left the room, with Chumley soon following. Jaden and Syrus ran after their friend.

* * *

><p>"Well, that sucked," Rock said as he and Jason leaned against the wall next to the Slifer dorm. They're waiting for Chumley to pass by so they could at least say goodbye. "We went through all that for nothing. With Chumely going, what do you supposed will happen to your tag-duel?" Jason didn't reply. With Chumley gone, what will happen to him? Will he have to duel the two opponents by himself? Or will they skip the duel and just force him to go home? Soon Jaden and Syrus walked by, with Chumley carrying his bag. "Well, I guess this is sayonara, then…"<p>

"Yeah, I guess." Chumley replied.

* * *

><p>The Slifers head out toward the bridge to the pier from the Slifer Dorm, where Banner was waiting for them with Pharaoh in his arms.<p>

"Hey, professor," Chumley greeted, and looked around, "where's my dad?"

"Your father had to go. Something went wrong with the milds," Banner then gave him a note, "But he wrote you this and wanted me to give it to you.

Chumley took the note and read it aloud, "Dear son... There's more to school than just your studies, and while you may not have made great grades there, you've made some great friends…" Chumley's eyes fill with tears as he kept reading, Jaden and Syrus peeking over his shoulders, "That's reason enough for you to stay!" he crumpled the note and ran out of the pier. "Da-a-a-a-a-ad!"

* * *

><p>The Slifers caught up to Chumley at the cliff's edge near the Slifer Dorm and found his father leaving by a small boat, "Daddy! I won't let you down!" he called, "I won't let any of you down! From here on out, I'm gonna make you proud a' me! My family, and my friends!" they all stood over the cliff, watching Chumley's dad go until he couldn't be seen any more.<p>

"Looks like Chumley's here to stay!" Jaden said.

"We better not celebrate just yet," Rock said, "You still got a tag-duel to win if you're planning on staying!"

"And it starts right after school!" Syrus said, "We still have a few hours to get ready!"

Chumley turned to his friends and smiled, "Then we better get our decks ready!"

"…Wait, I completely forgot!" Jason then gasped. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a few cards, "I wanted to give you these, to help with your deck."

Chumley accepted the cards, "You're really giving me these? Thanks!"

"Hey, we better get going! Classes are about to start!" everyone nodded and followed Jaden back to school.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Robot Master-Wood Man  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: When an effect of a card you control negates an attack from an opponent's monster, you can activate the following effect: Select 1 monster your opponent controls; that monster loses ATK and DEF equal to the number of cards in your hand x100.  
><strong>**********************

**(2) Robot Master-Cut Man  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 800)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: ************************When an effect of a card you control lowers an opponent's monster's ATK and/or DEF, you can activate the following effect: all monsters your opponent controls lose 200 ATK.************************************************

**(3) Robot Master-Bomb Man  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1400)**

****Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>**

************************Effect: ************************************************When an effect of a card you control************************************************ destroys an opponent's monster, ************************************************you can activate the following effect:inflict damage equal to that monster's original ATK.************************************************************************

**(4) D.D. Crazy Beast  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1400)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************Effect: A monster that this card destroys as a result of battle is removed from play.************************************************************************************************

**(5) Lady Assailant of Flames  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)**

****Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************Effect: FLIP: Remove 3 cards from the top of your Deck from play to inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.************************************************************************************************************************

**(6) D.D. Scout Plane  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this card is currently banished, and was banished this turn: Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(7) D.D. Crow  
><strong>

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] LV: 1 (ATK: 100/DEF: 100)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: During either player's turn: You can discard this card to the Graveyard to target 1 card in your opponent's Graveyard; banish that target.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(8) D.D. Assailant  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1600)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: After damage calculation, when this card is destroyed by battle with an opponent's monster: Banish that monster, also banish this card.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(9) Chaosrider Gustaph  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1500)**

****Attribute: WIND  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: Once per turn, you can remove from play up to 2 Spell Cards in your Graveyard. This card gains 300 ATK for each card removed, until the end of your opponent's next turn.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(10) Bazoo the Sour Eater  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 900)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: Once per turn: You can banish up to 3 monsters from your Graveyard; this card gains 300 ATK for each, until the end of your opponent's turn.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(11) Dimension Jar  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 200/DEF: 200)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: FLIP: Both players can remove from play up to 3 monsters from their opponent's Graveyard.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(12) Tongue Twister  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 400/DEF: 300)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: If this card was Tribute Summoned, when it is sent from the field to the Graveyard, draw 2 cards and remove this card from play.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(13) D.D. Survivor  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 200)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: After damage calculation, when this card is destroyed by battle with an opponent's monster: Banish that monster, also banish this card.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(14) Dimensional Alchemist  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 200)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: Once per turn, you can activate this effect to remove from play the top card of your Deck and give this card 500 ATK until the End Phase. When this card is destroyed and sent from your side of the field to your Graveyard, you can select 1 of your removed from play monsters and return it to your hand.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(15) Gren Maju Da Eiza  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: ?/DEF: ?)**

****Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************************************************************Effect: This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to the number of your removed from play cards x 400.************************************************************************************************************************************************

**(16) Dizzy Tiger  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 600)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************Effect: Negate the effect of face-down Defense Position Flip Effect Monsters attacked by this card.************************************************************************************************

**(17) Dizzy Angel  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 400)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************Effect: This card is not destroyed by the effect of "Flipping the Table".************************************************************************************************

**(18) Master of Oz  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Fusion] LV: 9 (ATK: 4200/DEF: 3700)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************************************************************************************"Big Koala"+"Des Kangaroo"  
><strong>**********************************************************************************************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>**********************************************************************************************


	12. Ultimatum Tag Team Trial: Part 1

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso. Rock belongs to Gammatron and Aspen belongs to WrittenWhim.**

* * *

><p>"Hey, Jason."<p>

The Slifer looked up to see Chakra standing in front of him. "Oh, Chakra? What are you doing here?"

"I want to make sure you're ready for your duel," Chakra said and leaned against the wall next to Jason, "After all, if you win this one, that means you can stay."

"That's if I don't lose and have to leave…" Jason muttered.

"What's that?" Jason stammered as he didn't mean Chakra to hear what he said, but she interrupted, "You know that's not what I meant. You want to stay, right? Then the last thing you should do is doubt yourself."

"Of course I want to stay," Jason said, "I just can't help but wonder. There's always a chance that I could muss up the duel for us."

"Just as there's a chance you and Chumley can stay because of you," Chakra stated, "If you keep doubting yourself then you'll always have a hard time. But if you move that doubt aside…"

"I guess you're right…" Jason admitted and stood up, "There's no use thinking about it, now. The sooner I can duel, the sooner we can find out, right?"

Chakra smiled and nodded, "That's right. This may sound cliché, but all you gotta do is believe in yourself. You're just as powerful as you believe you are. That's the only thing stopping you."

_"I believe in myself, Jaden!"_ they heard Syrus shout from his dorm room.

* * *

><p>"See? Even he knows it."<p>

At the school arena, the students and faculty seated on the stands waiting for the event.

_"Attentions: the Disciplinary Duels will begin in just a few moments!"_ Anais announced from center-stage, _"And remember, these are test conditions! These are sudden-expulsion matches!"_

* * *

><p>Among the audience, Bastion seated around small clusters of students, "A tad harsh, I'd say."<p>

"No joke." The Ra Yellow turned aside to see an Obelisk Blue sitting beside him. "You're Bastion Misawa, a friend of Jaden's, right."

"I…suppose you could say that. And you're Alexis Rhodes, yes?"

"Yeah, I'm also the reason they're in this mess. They were helping me at that abandoned dorm."

"I see…"

"But now if there's anyone in need of help, it's them. Have you heard? Rumor is that Crowler arranged professionals to duel them; tag-team legends; duelists that work for the creator of Duel Monsters himself!"

* * *

><p>Chakra found her seat near the back row, where she could see most possible angles of the upcoming match. 'Okay, let's see if you can make it through this…'<p>

"Need some company?"

Chakra saw Jasmine and Mindy standing over her at the railings and stepping down for a seat. "And here I thought you wouldn't be interested."

"There's nothing better to do so I figured we come here," Jasmine said, "Besides, I heard there's gonna be professionals coming here."

* * *

><p><em>"Send in the accused,"<em> Anais commanded and the four Slifers entered the room, _"Chumley Huffington, Jason Hutchins, Syrus Truesdale, and Jaden Yuki!"_ an empty seat was nearly kicked off as Chazz slouched on another empty patch.

"Whoa, the acoustics in here are great!" Jaden awed.

"Yeah, you think maybe they'd count the echo here as your tag partner?" Syrus sighed.

Jaden reached out and ruffled Syrus' hair, "For the last time, you're my partner!"

"Doesn't hurt to ask though, heheh…"

"You Slifer Slackers. It should be me taking you out," Chazz snarled, "But I guess as long as someone does it."

* * *

><p><em>"First up is Chumley Huffington and Jason Hutchins,"<em> Anais said,_ "Enter the ring."_

Jason and Chumley stepped onto the arena, waiting for their opponents to arrive, "So where are they?" Chumley asked, looking around.

"Are you trying to play coy?" Anais questioned irritated, "You should know by now who you're up against."

"I don't understand…" Jason said, "What are you talking about?"

"Allow me to reiterate," Crowler stepped in, "There were so many professional duelists unavailable, I was lucky to convince just three to come here. So there'll just be a one-on-one duel against that duelist."

"So we'll each get a turn?" Chumley guessed, "That won't be so bad, …I guess."

Crowler sneered, "I'm so glad you agree, because only one of you will be allowed to be in that duel, while the other will be sent off the island!"

"What?!" both Slifers gasped, over the small clamoring from the crowd.

"That's why you two are going to duel each other. The winner moves on to challenge his real opponent for his right to stay here; while the loser will be instantly expelled! You should know that. I did give you a notice via your duel-pilot this morning before class!"

"We never got something like that!" Chumley argued.

"Of course you did! …Or at least I think I sent it. It was back when…hm…" Crowler snapped his fingers trying to jog his memory.

"No he didn't!" Chumley cried, "He did that on purpose!"

Anais slammed her staff on the floor, "That doesn't matter at the moment! The fact remains that you two must duel in order to stay at this academy. Now enough stalling and prepare to duel!"

"But this…this is…"

"This is to cruel!" Mindy finished for Chakra, while Jasmine remained silent.

"But that's not fair!" Jaden argued from the edge of the stage, "Jason and Chumley have to duel each other?!"

"But that means one of them will have to leave Duel Acadeny!" Syrus realized.

Both Slifer duelist stood on opposite sides with their duel-dusks activated, "Well, this is it," Chumley mumbled, trying to feel confident. "May the best Slifer win."

"Okay…" was all Jason had to respond as they both drew their starting hands.

**Chumley: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"And to be clear, the first duelist's life-points to hit zero loses." Anais said before she and Crowler left the ring.

"Alright, I'm going first!" Chumley drew his sixth card, "And I'll start by activating this spell card, Spiritual Forest!" as soon as the card activated, rows of reflective trees surrounded the field.

"Is this a field-magic card?" Jason wondered.

"It's a permanent magic card! And as long as it's out, it protects each and every one of my beast-type monsters by battle once a turn! I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn!" a sideways card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the fiery male hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And he gains 200 ATK points for each hero monster on my side of the field (ATK: 1600-1800). Elemental Hero Heat, attack that face-down monster!" Heat charged in to attack, but backed away when a giant koala rose up, chewing on a few leaves (DEF: 1800).

"Des Koala's special-ability activates!" Chumley announced, "When this guy's flipped face-up, you take 400 points of damage for each card in your hand!" Jason winched when he's surrounded by a red aura.

**Chumley: 4000**

**Jason: 2000**

* * *

><p>"He just walked into that one!" Chakra said, "Didn't he know about Des Koala's effect?"<p>

"Apparently he didn't," Jasmine said, "Maybe he should've spent more time in class."

* * *

><p>"I end my turn…"<p>

"Then it's my turn!" Chumley drew, "And I set another monster face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy. It gives both players 1000 life-points." Rain suddenly drizzled onto the field.

**Chumley: 5000**

**Jason: 3000**

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode," Heats' female counterpart appeared (ATK: 1300), "And with another hero out, Heat gains 200 more ATK points (ATK: 2000), "Now Elemental Hero Heat attacks your face-down card!" Heat charged in, but like last time another beast jumped in front of him, appeared to be a giant overweight hamster (DEF: 1800).

"That's my (1) Super-Nimble Mega Hamster(4/ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)!" Chumley said, "And when he's flipped over, I can take a level-3-or-lower beast-type monster and place it face-down in DEF mode!" another set monster appeared.

"I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn; and Lady Heat's effect activates and inflicts 200 points of damage for each hero on my fiend!" Lady Heat tossed two small fireballs.

**Chumley: 4600**

**Jason: 3000**

'At least I have 2 monsters stronger that Chumley's,' Jason thought, 'I just hope he doesn't summon that Big Koala.'

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew, "And I sacrifice both Des Koala and Super-Nimble Mega Hamster to summon out Big Koala!" the two smaller beast were then replaced with and even bigger koala with light-bluish fur (ATK: 2700), "Big Koala attacks Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" the giant koala jumped up and prepared to fall ontop of Lady Heat.

"I activate my trap card, Kunai with Chain!" after Jason opened his reverse-card, Lady Heat whipped out the chained blade and wrapped it around the giant beast, forcing it back down on the ground (DEF: 2000), "Now your monster's switched to DEF mode, and my monster gains 500 ATK points (ATK: 1300-1800)!"

"Then I'll end my turn with a face-down!" Chumley concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode," the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "Next I activate Polymerization and send Elemental Hero Lady Heat from the field and Poison Rose from my hand to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two female heroes fused to form the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "And with three hero monsters on my field, Heat's ATK points become 2200, making it stronger that your Koala's DEF! Now, Heat and Nova Master, attack Big Koala!" both fire heroes teamed up and delivered two consecutive attacks that toppled Big Koala and destroyed it, "And when Nova Master destroys a monster, I get to draw one card from my deck! Next I'll have Knospe activate her effect and attack you directly!" Knospe fired a round of seeds from her bud hands.

**Chumley: 4000**

**Jason: 3000**

"And when she inflicts battle-damage, she gains 100 ATK points but loses 100 DEF points (ATK: 600-700/DEF: 1000-900)! That ends my turn-!"

"Not before I activate this: the trap card Soul Resurrection!" Chumley's reverse-card opened, "This card brings back a monster in DEF mode! So Big Koala comes back for another round!" the giant koala returned (DEF: 2000), "Now it's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I place one monster face-down in DEF mode and switch Big Koala to ATK mode! Then I'll have him attack your Elemental Hero Nova Master!"

"I activate the trap card, Covering Fire!" Jason's reverse-card opened, "During this battle, this card transfers one of my other monsters' ATK points to the one that's being attacked! So now Nova Master's ATK points are combined with Heat's ATK points (ATK: 2600-4800)!" Big Koala stumbled towards Nova Master and Heat, but the two heroes managed to knock it onto its back.

**Chumley: 2100**

**Jason: 3000**

"That monster may be stronger, but my Koala can't be destroyed in this battle!" Chumley said, "So he gets to stick around for a little longer! I end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode," the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Next I'll have Knospe attack you directly!" Knospe fired another round of seeds.

**Chumley: 1400**

**Jason: 3000**

Elemental Hero Knospe (ATK: 800/DEF: 800)

"Now I'll have Heat and Nova Master both attack your face-down card!" the two fire monsters advanced and attacked the reverse-card, the monster revealed as a small flying squirrel before Nova Master moved in and destroyed it.

"You just destroyed (2) Nimble Momonga(2/ATK: 1000/DEF: 100)!" Chumley announced, "And when that happens, I get 1000 life-points, and I can summon 2 more face-down!" two more monsters appeared in DEF mode.

**Chumley: 2400**

**Jason: 3000**

"At least I get to draw another card," Jason drew from Nova Master's effect, "I place one card face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I activate the spell card, Wild Nature's Release! With this, my Big Koala gains ATK points equal to his DEF points!" the koala gained a red aura as it rose to its feet (ATK: 4700), "Go, Big Koala! Attack Elemental Hero Heat!" Big Koala pulled out a large bamboo stick and swung it down on Heat, crushing the fire hero under it.

**Chumley: 2400**

**Jason: 700**

* * *

><p>Chazz snickered, "This is becoming quite the show! Two lousy Slifers tearing at each other just to stay at the academy! And the best part, all their dueling will be for nothing because no matter which one comes out on top in this duel, he'll get pummeled in the main event. Heh, if this side-show lasts long enough I could've snuck in a hotdog and a bag of popcorn!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Normally, when a beast-type monster's affected by Wild Nature's Release, it's destroyed during the end of the turn! But I'll activate this quick-play spell card Mystic Wok instead! By sacrificing a monster on my field, it's battle points are added to my life-points!" after playing the card, Big Koala vanished, "So after sacrificing Big Koala, I gain the same amount as his ATK points!"<p>

**Chumley: 7100**

**Jason: 700**

"That ends my turn!"

* * *

><p>"I was wondering if Chumley turn things in his favor." Chakra said.<p>

"Yeah. First Jason was ahead, but then Chumley got ahead." Mindy said.

"For someone who's held back he's not that bad," Jasmine admitted, "Then again, he is dueling another Slifer."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "First I switch Woodsman to ATK mode! Next, Knospe attacks one of the face-down monsters!" Knospe fired its seeds at one of the face-down Momongas, by it was protected by Spiritual Forest, "Now Woodsman and Nova Master, continue the attack!" the earth and fire-attribute heroes destroyed the two Nimble Momongas, triggering both their and Nova Master's effects.<p>

**Chumley: 9100**

**Jason: 700**

Elemental Hero Knospe (ATK: 900/DEF: 700)

"I place one card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I set this monster in DEF mode and that'll be that!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon (5) Element Saurus(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200) in ATK mode!" a bipedal brown dinosaur appeared (ATK: 1500).

* * *

><p>"Element Saurus? Wait, wouldn't Aspen use a card like that?" Mindy asked.<p>

"You're right. When did he get that card?" Jasmine wondered. She realized something and turned towards Chakra, "Wait a minute, you gave him extra cards?!"

"Chakra shrugged, "I didn't give him anything. He bought a few pack from the store to strengthen his deck. All I did was lead him to the right packs."

Jasmine turned back in annoyance, "Why am I not surprised…"

* * *

><p>"Element Saurus has 2 effects, one for either Fire and Earth! And since there's a fire-attribute monster on my field, Element Saurus gains 500 extra ATK points (ATK: 2000)! Now attack your face-down monster!" Element Saurus fired a stream of flames at the set monster, which revealed as another Des Koala. A barrier formed between the monsters, protecting the Koala.<p>

"Des Koala's ability activates!" Chumley exclaimed, "Now you take 400 points of damage for each card in your hand!" Jason suddenly found himself under another damaging aura.

**Chumley: 9100**

**Jason: 300**

'Alright, that's two down…' Jason thought, 'But my life-points are getting low. I need to be more careful…' "Next I'll have Nova Master attack!" Nova Master launched a large fireball that destroyed Des Koala. After that, Jason drew another card, "Next, I attack your life-points with Knospe!" Knospe fired at Chumley.

**Chumley: 8200**

**Jason: 300**

Elemental Hero Knospe (ATK: 1000/DEF: 600)

"Finally, I switch Woodsman back into DEF mode and end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I activate the spell known as Spellbook Inside the Pot! This lets both of us draw 3 cards!" both he and Jason drew three times. After Chumley added to his hand, it started trembling as if he predicted a curse is coming… "I… activate the spell card Polymerization! And from my hand I activate (3) Mystical Sheep's (3/ATK: 1150/DEF: 900) special-ability! It can be used as a substitute for any monster I need for a fusion! And with another Big Koala in my hand, I can fuse them both to create…" the Big Koala merged with a ferocious-looking black sheep with blue horns. In their place came the giant green marsupial from Chumley's last duel, "Master of Oz (ATK: 4200)!"

* * *

><p>"4200?! That's a lot of ATK points!" Mindy gasped.<p>

"Then this duel's over." Jasmine decided.

* * *

><p>Chumley kept shivering, but that didn't stop him from making this next move, "Master of Oz! Attack Elemental Hero Nova Master!" Master of Oz reeled back its giant gloved fist and shot it straight towards the fire hero.<p>

"I activate my trap card, Enchanted Javelin!" Jason opened one of his reverse-cards, "This card increases my life-points by the ATK points of your attacking monster!"

**Chumley: 8200**

**Jason: 4500**

After Jason's trap-effect, the attack connected and Nova Master shattered against Oz's attack.

**Chumley: 8200**

**Jason: 2900**

* * *

><p>"Oh, that was close!" Mindy said, "I thought Jason would've lost!"<p>

"I guess he's bought himself a free turn…" Jasmine said.

* * *

><p>"This punk's good a prolonging the inevitable, I'll give him that." Chazz muttered.<p>

"That's one thing we can agree on." The Obelisk peered at the seat next to him and saw Calypso sitting right alongside him, taking him by surprise.

"WHOA! What do you think you're doing sneaking on my like that, huh?!" he exclaimed, jumping out of his seat.

"Me? I've been sitting here this whole time. It's not my fault you don't pay attentions to your surroundings."

Chazz dropped back to the next seat over, 'I was starting to enjoy this duel until this chick showed up! Just the downside I need…'

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization back to my hand," he returned his fusion card, "Next, I'll have Knospe attack directly!" Knospe fired more seeds.<p>

**Chumley: 7200**

**Jason: 2900**

Elemental Hero Knospe (ATK: 1100/DEF: 500)

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Stratos!" the jet-pack wearing wind hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And when summoned, his effect allows me to add another Elemental Hero from my deck!" Jason removed one of his monster cards and shuffled his deck afterwards, "Now I activate Polymerization, and send both Stratos from my field and Ocean from my hand to the graveyard, so I can summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" Stratos merged with the merman hero and the armored, caped wind hero appeared (ATK: 2800), "And when Great Tornado's summoned, the ATK and DEF points of all monsters on your field are halved!" Great Tornado's shoulderpads fired two tunnels of wind at Master of Oz.

Master of Oz: (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1850)

"Finally I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "I end my turn."

"My turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I activate the continuous-spell, Poison Fang! Next, I summon (4) Tree Otter(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 100) in DEF mode!" a small, grey otter appeared, but it didn't seem to have a tail like most otters (ATK: 1200), "Now I activate his special-ability! When there's another beast-type monster on my field, I can add 1000 ATK points to one of my monsters until the rest of this turn! And I'll use it on Master of Oz!" Chumley's larger monster gained a healthy aura (ATK: 3100), "And as for Poison Fangs, anytime you take battle-damage from one of my beast-type monsters, you take an extra 500 points of damage! Now, Master of Oz, attack Elemental Hero Nova Master!" Oz launched its fist towards Nova Master.

"I activate the trap card, Shift!" Jason revealed his face-down, "Now your attack goes to Great Tornado instead!" Oz's fist smashed through Great Tornado.

**Chumley: 7200**

**Jason: 2100**

"Then I place one card face-down, and end my turn!" Chumley concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "First I attack Tree Otter with Element Saurus!" the dinosaur spat more flames from its mouth, but a barrier protected the otter against it.

**Chumley: 6400**

**Jason: 2100**

"Next, I'll have Nova Master attack Master of Oz!" Nova Master launched up to Oz's level, ready to attack.

"I activate my face-down, Rush Recklessly!" Chumley revealed his reversed quick-play spell, "This card raises Oz's ATK power by 700 points (ATK: 2800)!"

"I activate Reverse Trap!" Jason revealed his face-down, "This card forces all other card effects to decrease instead of increase this turn! So Master of Oz loses 700 points instead (ATK: 1400)! Nova Master, attack!" the fire-based hero launched a spray of fire that destroyed the giant marsupial.

**Chumley: 5200**

**Jason: 2100**

"And when Nova Master destroys a monster, I can draw another card from my deck! Finally, I'll attack with Knospe!" the flowerbud opened fire again.

**Chumley: 4100**

**Jason: 2100**

Elemental Hero Knospe (ATK: 1200/DEF: 400)

"That end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I activate the Re-Fusion spell card! By paying 800 life-points, I can bring a fusion-monster back from my graveyard! And there's only one monster I can summon…" Master of Oz rose back to the field (ATK: 4200), "Next, with Tree Otter on my field, Master of Oz gains 1000 more ATK points until the end of this turn (ATK: 5200)! Master of Oz, attack Nova Master!" the marsupial swung its giant fist towards the fire hero.

"I activate my trap card, Windstorm of Etaqua!" Jason announced. As his reverse-car opened, a massive tornado blew out onto the field and forced back Oz's attack, "Now the battle-positions of ever face-up monster are switched!"

Elemental Hero Nova Master (DEF: 2100)

Element Saurus: (DEF: 1200)

Elemental Hero Knospe (DEF: 400)

Elemental Hero Woodsman: (ATK: 1000)

Tree Otter: (DEF: 100)

Master of Oz: (DEF: 3700)

* * *

><p>"I starting to enjoy watching those two squirm," Calypso giggled, "They don't want to send away their little fellow classmate, but they don't want to leave the academy either. And what's worse, is that there's no alternative. They can only fight, and eventually one will fall. And it looks like one of them is at his breaking point…"<p>

* * *

><p>'Alright, we're getting close now…' Jason thought, 'I hope this is the right time. Because if what I have planned doesn't work, I'll be sent out of Duel Academy! I just hope Chumley will understand…' from the other side of the field, he could barely see this fellow Slifer staring out into space, but he could tell that there are problems he's dealing with on his own…<p>

'I gotta focus! I already made a promise to my dad that I can be better than I ever was! But to do that I have to beat Jason to stay at Duel Academy! But that means I'll have to be the one to kick him outta Duel Academy! But why am I worrying about that? I hardly know the guy. But then again he's not that bad a guy either! If I beat him, could I even live it down knowing it's my fault he'd leave? I feel like I have to do this, but I can't. But if I don't do this, I won't be able to stay! But if I…I just…I can't…' "I CAN'T DO IT!" Chumley burst, surprising everyone as he dropped to his knees.

"Chumley?" Jason could only say.

"I'm standing right here, in my first major duel of the year, where whether I win or lose decides if I stay or leave!" Chumley cried, "I still have a promise to keep and I can't back down now! But I can't…I just can't go though with this! I mean, I thought we're gonna work together in a tag-duel. But we're being forced to put everything we worked for against each other! This isn't how I want to do this…!"

Jason could hear him sitting on his knees, quietly sobbing. "Wait, listen—"

"These theatrics are pointless," Anais stated at the edge of the stage, slamming her staff on the ground, "Need I remind you that you're in the position you are right now, is to set an example for the academy's students. Not only were you out after curfew, you entered a forbidden area. And those kind of actions put together is enough to justify expulsion. You made a choice, and like all choices there are consequences; consequences that you must face! So quit you sniveling, because there's no use when you're at high stakes!"

* * *

><p>"She does have a point," Jasmine said, "Why bother with the waterworks? It's his fault for being at that dorm to begin with."<p>

"I could say the same for the rest of us," Chakra pointed out, "I mean, we were at the same place."

"This again!" Jasmine groaned, "You know, I would really appreciate it if you didn't remind me!"

"You know what I'm talking about. Doesn't it bother you that only the Slifers are getting punished and not the rest of us? Or is it that you don't mind getting a free pass because of the color of your uniform."

"I just don't want to throw my school life away, alright?!" Jasmine shot back, "They got caught and we didn't, that's all that matters!"

* * *

><p>"No, it's okay!" Jason spoke, calling out to Chumley, "No one's telling you to quit the match. It's like you said, you want to stay here so you can make your dad proud. And judging how you dueled just now, I'm sure you'll make you dad proud. You belong at Duel Academy!"<p>

"You really think so?" Chumley sniffled, "But what about you? If I win, then you'll have to leave! Don't you wanna stay here too?"

"Of course I do! That's why I'll be staying, too!" what Jason just said raised a lot of questions from everyone else.

"Did I hear that right?" Jaden wondered.

"Is he saying he could get both him and Chumley to stay?" Syrus asked.

* * *

><p>"Am I the only one who's confused here…?" Mindy asked, to no one in particular.<p>

"He doesn't know what he's saying!" Jasmine said, "There's no he could follow through!"

"Actually, there's one way I could think of…" Chakra said, "Look, when two duelists lose at the same time, what happens then?"

"That's a draw, right?" Mindy answered.

"But that just means that both of them will lose," Jasmine quarreled, "I'm pretty sure that'll end blowing up in Jason's face!"

"That depends on how a draw's created," Chakra said, "But we'll see after this next move…"

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I'll have Elemental Hero Nova Master attack Master of Oz!" Nova Master unleashed a sea of flames against the giant marsupial, but it swatted away the fire back across Jason's field.<p>

**Chumley: 4100**

**Jason: 500**

* * *

><p>"That's crazy!" Jasmine exclaimed, "What's taking damage supposed to accomplish?!"<p>

Chakra paid more attention to the duel, "Just wait for it…"

* * *

><p>"Alright… It's my turn…" Chumley drew his next card.<p>

"I activate my face-down card!" Chumley broke from his turn as his opponent opened his lone reverse-card; it formed quite a commotion when they all found out what it is: "Last Turn!"

"What?! Last Turn?!" Chazz gasped, "Where did that Slifer even get a card that rare?!"

"There shouldn't be anymore rare cards in stock!" Jasmine recapped, "I mean, the only person I know who holds Last Turn is…" she entered a new track of thought as she drew her glace to her neighbor and classmate, who looked away trying not to notice. "Wait, you didn't!"

"When Last Turn is activated, I choose one of my monsters to keep on the field while every other card on the field and our hand goes to the graveyard! Then you can summon any monster straight from your deck to do battle with mine! The player who's monster is left on the field wins the duel! Otherwise, the duel ends in a DRAW!"

Chumley blinked, "A draw…?" he repeated.

"And the monster I choose to battle with is Element Saurus! And with no other monsters on the field, its ATK points go back to its original 1500!" Element Saurus stepped forward as all the other monsters vanished. "And now all you have to do is summon a monster from your deck!"

"So if two monsters battle with the same ATK points, it could end in a draw!" Jaden said, grinning. "That's what Jason's aiming for!"

"Yeah, but does Chumley have a monster with 1500 AKT points?" Syrus wondered. "…Wait a second, he does!"

"You said I can choose any monster from my deck, right?" Chumley asked and Jason nodded, "Then this will be the last card I'll play: (4) Des Kangaroo(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1700)!" a green-furred kangaroo appeared in a purple vest and boxing gear on its hands and feet (ATK: 1500). "Des Kangaroo, attack Element Saurus!"

"Element Saurus, counterattack!" the two beasts made a mad dash at each other and struck tooth and claw. Crossing each other's path they landed on their feet. As they disappeared there was silence in the ring, and soon after outside it as well.

"So is that is?" Chumley spoke.

"Yeah, that's it," Jason said, "When both monsters destroyed each other, Last Turn's effect declares this duel a draw."

"Now wait just a minute!" Crowler jumped onto the stage, "Since it was a draw, that means neither of you won! That means you'll both have to leave the academy!" the crowd muttered over each other, some either agreeing or disagreeing with Crowler's statement.

"Anais said whoever's life-points reach zero loses the duel!" Jason corrected, "And if you check our score, we still have life-points left!"

Chumley: 4100

**DRAW**

Jason: 500

"So according to the rules, neither of us lost!"

"Y-you don't have a say in the matter! Chancellor, explain to them!" Crowler looked towards the stands to the principal for assistance, but he just shrugged.

* * *

><p>"Kid's got a point. Since it's a draw, nobody won, but they didn't lose either." he said, "But then again, Anais is the acting referee for this match."<p>

* * *

><p>"Wait, that's right! Anais, tell 'im!" Crowler looked to the disciplinary officer looking for assistance.<p>

But it's as if she's ignoring him as she held her staff like a security blanket, "I made a mistake…I thought I was being specific but I made a mistake!" she quivered, "Both duelist still have life-points remaining after the last battle. But according to the system I placed for them it didn't count as a loss. I thought I was complicating things for them but they took advantage of that!" she dropped to her knees, shivering against her staff still upright against the floor.

"Uh, Miss Anais, you're causing a scene here!" Crowler sounded like he's about to panic as well. He had the idea helping her up off the floor and taking her to the nurse's office when she shot back up and jumped off the stage, running out of the stadium without wasting any time. "Miss Anais, wait! Oh, bother…!"

* * *

><p>"So what do you think?" Banner asked the principal from nearby, "If a draw's not considered a win nor loss, then what does it mean for my two duelist?"<p>

"That's a good question," Sheppard rubbed his chin, "The way I see it, the duel could've ended either way depending on what monsters were last in play. And since they decided to end it in a draw, it's safe to say they didn't want each other to lose…" he stood up and announced to the two Slifers on stage, "This is what you two were aiming, am I right?"

Jason and Chumley looked at each other for a moment before Jason responded, "Uh, yeah! That's what we're trying to do!"

"Then it's decided. Chumley Huffington and Jason Hutchins, you will have another opportunity to test your skills when you face your special opponent."

"Does that mean…"

Sheppard nodded, "You will both get the chance to duel in the actual match; then will whether you win or lose decide if you should get a second chance to remain here at Duel Academy." Not unlike the usual cheering one would receive from the crowd, some who did was nearly drowned out by controversial chattering. But most would agree on one thing: both Jason and Chumley would be in their actual disciplinary duel.

* * *

><p>"Well, I never…" Calypso muttered, "That's to say I'd never put money on Jason ever manipulating this duel's outcome."<p>

'I can't believe those Slifers managed to worm their way into another duel!' Chazz growled under his breath, 'But that better be the _only_ lucky break they'll be getting."

* * *

><p>"Hey, guys! That was sweet what you did there!" Jaden praised to Jason and Chumley as the crossed him and Syrus at the stage's stairs.<p>

"Jason did most of the work," Chumley said, "It's thanks to his last trap card we even did it!"

"I did have a bit of help…" Jason said.

"Well, you can leave it to us! Sy and I got a duel to win!" Jaden said. "Ready, Sy?"

Syrus nodded and followed Jaden onto the stage.

"Hey, let's get a better view and join the audience!" Chumley suggested. Jason agreed and followed him to the stands.

* * *

><p>"Could you go on without me? There's something I need to do," Jason decided to separate because there's something needed to be done. He looked around on the stands until he spotted Chakra with Mindy and Jasmine nearby, "Chakra?"<p>

The silver-haired Obelisk turned to see him with the two other girls doing the same, "Hm? Hey, Jason. Looks like Mindy's card really came in handy."

"Yeah, and I want to thank her for that…" Jason brought out Last Turn and presented it to Mindy, "Thank you for letting me borrow it, Mindy."

"Oh, you're welcome!" Mindy giggled as she accepted the card.

"Stop me if this is a dumb question but…" Jasmine said to Mindy, "Why exactly did you lend your very best card to that guy?"

"Why?" Mindy paused as if thinking for a bit, "Well, I feel kinda bad that he got in trouble. And he saved my life, so I figured I return the favor."

Jasmine sighed and turned away, propping her hear on her resting arm, "And yet I asked…"

* * *

><p>"Now, without any further ado, allow me to introduce our guest tag-team duo!" Crowler announced, deciding to start the next match. Suddenly there were blurs of orange or green rolling down the stage.<p>

"What is this?!" both Slifers gasped. Soon both blurs went flying over their heads and landed right behind them.

"The Paradox Brothers!" the guest duelists stood on their feet back to back. Both are bald, both are twins, and one wore an orange Chinese dress while the other an identical green one.

"Salutations, you fools." Para, the one in orange greeted.

"Hope you're ready to duel." His brother, Dox, added.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Super-Nimble Mega Hamster  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1800)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: FLIP: You can Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower Beast-Type monster from your Deck in face-down Defense Position.************************

**(2) Nimble Momonga  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 100)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Gain 1000 Life Points, then you can Special Summon any number of "Nimble Momongas" from your Deck in face-down Defense Position.************************

**(3) Mystical Sheep  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1150/DEF: 900)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: You can substitute this card for any 1 Fusion-Material Monster. When you do this, the other Fusion-Material Monster(s) must be the correct one(s).************************

**(4) Des Kangaroo  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1700)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************Effect: If the ATK of a monster that attacks this monster is lower than the DEF of this card, destroy the attacking monster. (Damage calculation is applied normally.)************************

**(5) Element Saurus  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************Effect: This monster gets the following effect(s) while there is a monster(s) with the following Attribute(s) on the field: ● FIRE: This card gains 500 ATK. ● EARTH: Negate the effect of an Effect Monster that this card destroyed by battle.  
><strong>**********************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>**********************


	13. Ultimatum Tag Team Trial: Part 2

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

****A/N: "I'm sure it's been a while since I last updated, but it's been a bit hard juggling multiple stories at once. So as an early Christmas present for this holiday week, I'm giving you a few chapters at once. I hope I'm still up to snuff and that you like them. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays."****

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso. Rock belongs to Gammatron.**

* * *

><p>The first disciplinary tag-duel is starting and Jaden and Syrus' opponent are two bald men in either orange or green Chinese robes, with a Chinese symbol painted on their foreheads.<p>

"Salutations, you fools." Para, the one in orange greeted.

"Hope you're ready to duel." His brother, Dox, added.

Jaden stared, "Uh, I never heard of these guys."

"Me either," Syrus agreed, "Maybe this tag-duel won't be so bad after all."

"Perhaps," Crowler stood behind the two Slifers, "After all, they haven't dueled in ages, and their last opponent was a child. I believe he went by the name of… Yugi-something?"

Syrus snapped his head back at the brothers. "The King of Games?!"

* * *

><p>"Of all duelists there are out there, those two have to be here," Chakra muttered, "Crowler really isn't taking any chances."<p>

"You know those guys?" Jason asked.

"You don't?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow, "They're world-famous for their skills in tag-dueling. You might have known if you looked up the Duelist Kingdom tournament."

Jason blinked, "I don't know what that is, but it sounds like those two are pretty tough…"

"You don't know?!" Rock (who just now joined the audience) exclaimed, nearly dropping his bottle of root beer, "Honestly, the biggest event in the whole world, the debut of Yugi Motou and Joey Wheeler! It was there that the champion Weevil was defeated in the very first duel and where Yugi Moto defeated Maximillion Pegasus! The guy behind Duel Monsters!"

"Ugh! Never mind!" Jasmine slumped against her seat and waited for the duel to start, trying to ignore Rock's banter, "I just hope those Slifers last long enough for the brothers to summon that ultimate monster they have. I guess it'd be interesting for a round or two…"

* * *

><p>"The fact that such professionals would sully their skills on such inexperienced duelists..." Calypso muttered, then smirked, "This should be fun."<p>

Chazz snickered darkly and looked off to the side, where Chumley was standing behind the seats at the railing, "Hey, Chump-ley. Looks like you'll have a lot more room in your dorm now. Your friends are toast!"

Chumley gulped, "This is so not 'licious…"

* * *

><p>"Enough with the pleasantries…"<p>

"Now on with the duel…"

"We didn't come here to talk…"

"We came…"

"To destroy you!" the twins chanted.

Sheppard frowned and walked up to the stage, "Crowler, don't you think this is a little too much for them?"

"Of course not, sir!" Crowler argued, "They broke a big-time rule so they should face big-time duelist! Besides, we can't send the brothers back. They've come so far!"

"What's the matter? You're paying the travel bills," Sheppard replied to the faulted teacher, then turned his attention towards the two students, "Jaden, I'll leave it up to you, son."

"Aw, this isn't so bad," Jaden grinned, "These two couldn't beat male pattern baldness, so there's no way they can beat us!"

"How wonderfully clever," Crowler muttered as he stood at the center of the stage, "Duelist, prepare to battle! The rules of this tag-duel are really quite simple: no sharing a strategy, no sharing of advise and no sharing of any card that is not yet in play. But you may use what's on your opponent's field, understand?" the twins replied in agreement, "Then duel!" he announced before jumping off the platform.

**Jaden/Syrus: 8000**

**Para/Dox: 8000**

* * *

><p>Right at the point the duel started, Zane can been seen looking down towards the stage,<em> 'Okay, little brother. It's time to see if you belong here, or the next plane out of here.'<em>

* * *

><p>"Get your games on!" Jaden challenged, then looked at his partner.<p>

"Here goes…" Syrus nodded and drew his first card, "I summon Gyroid in ATK mode!" the cartoon helicopter appeared on his field (ATK: 1000).

Para scoffed at the giant toy copter, "You must be joking! I'm amazed that thing even has an ATK mode!" he drew his card, "This, on the other hand… (1) Jirai Gumo(4/ATK: 2200/DEF: 100)!" a giant brown arachnid stood on two legs, with six arms protruded with large brown spears (ATK: 2200).

"An overgrown bug? That's nothing my deck can't squash!" Jaden drew his next card, "Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in DEF mode!" the female fire hero appeared (DEF: 800).

"The best defense, you fool…" Dox drew his card, "Is a strong offense! (2) Kaiser Sea Horse(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1650), ATK mode!"

Syrus looked at the giant spider, then at the armored monster with a spear in hand. 'Alright, now if I know dueling like I think I know dueling, these guys will attack next.'

"I choose to play a spell card from my hand," Dox declared, "Tribute Doll!"

"Huh?"

"To activate this card, I must sacrifice one monster from our side of the field. Good thing my brother is so generous with his!" Dox looked at his brother, who nodded, "Farewell, Jirai Gumo!" the arachnid screeched as it was ensnared by a mass of dark threads before vanishing into thin air, "Now I am allowed to summon a level-7 monster this turn, and I choose (4) Kazejin(7/ATK: 2400/DEF: 2200)!" the Slifer team raised their arms as a maelstrom began to blow over the field. In the middle of it all, a spherical green-and-gold golem rose onto the brothers' field.

* * *

><p>"He sacrificed his brother's own monster to summon a more powerful one…" Bastion mused, "Now that's tag-team dueling."<p>

"You mind not sounding so impressed with them?" Alexis insisted.

* * *

><p>"Do you honestly think that you know anything about this game?" Para asked.<p>

"You're losers; you're lame!" Dox smirked.

"If they think this is starting to get grueling…"

"…wait until I draw and give them a true schooling! I play Dark Designator! This powerful spell card allows me to call out any monster I can think of, and if it's in my brother's deck, it's added immediately to his hand! Now let me see here… Sanga of the Thunder!"

"What do you know, it's right here," Para chuckled, adding the monster straight to his deck, "ready to tear them asunder!"

'You gotta be kidding me,' Jaden frowned, 'Another level-7 monster?'

"The duel just started…"

"…and yet it is almost done…"

"For your demise has already begun!" the concluded in unison.

Jaden saw how nervous Syrus was getting. "Don't worry, Syrus. They're just saying that for an easy rhyme." He assured.

'I just hope we don't make for an easy match,' he then thought, 'Okay, monster role-call: I got Burstinatrix chillin' in DEF mode and Sy's got his…well, his little helicopter thingy. Not bad, but not good since we're facing down some major powerhouse competition; including a level-7 green thing I've never seen before.'

"What do you say, Jaden?" Syrus whimpered, "If we just quit now, we'll have extra time to pack up all our stuff…so uh, shall we?"

Jaden shook his head, "The only thing we're packing is some serious dueling punch! I'm telling you, Sy, we'll beat these guys!"

"You're right, Jay!" Syrus smiled and then looked at his cards, 'We're packing serious dueling punch!' he then looked up at the stands where his brother's watching, 'Not only am I gonna show the Paradox Brothers, but I'm gonna show my brother as well. I'm gonna do it right here, right now, on this turn!' he then drew his next card, "All aboard! I summon Steamroid in ATK mode!" the cartoon locomotive appeared (ATK: 1800), "Next, I'll use this spell card Polymerization! Check it out: I'll be using my Steamroid and my Gyroad and fuse them together to create the ultimate engine that could…Steam Gyroid!" the two machines merged as the train with Gyroids rotors on its sides (ATK: 2200), "Now that's locomotion! You guys made a mistake in all that teamwork: when you sacrificed Jirai Gumo, you left your brother completely defenseless, ready and open for an attack!"

"Uh…Sy?"

"Now I'm coming in! Steam Gyroid, attack Para!"

"Wha-? An attack?!"

"Got that right!" Steam Gyroid soared through the air towards the orange-clad man.

Para glanced at his partner, "Would you mind, brother?"

"Of course. It would be a pleasure, brother. Kazejin, defend with Squall Barricade!"

Syrus watched as the large, green monster stepped in front of Para, using a strong air current to stop Steam Gyroid. "What…?"

"Our monster's special-ability, do you like?" Dox asked, smiling.

"It reduces your monster's power to zero, without even a fight." Para finished.

* * *

><p>"I'm not surprised," Jasmine sighed, "I was wondering when they'd run into that strategy."<p>

"The good news is, Kazejin can only use its effect once, and only once." Chakra said. "But if the brothers manage to summon the remaining two, that would spell bad new for both Jaden and Yusei."

"Wait a minute, you mean there are two more like that monster?" Jason asked.

"Kazejin is part of a set of three deities that control the powers of either wind, water or thunder," Chakra explained, "The other two are Suijin, deity of water, and Sanga of the Thunder, deity of thunder. They both hold different strengths but have the same effect. And if they managed to hold their luck and summon all three of them, then your friends will really be in for a fight…"

"...So...they're going to be dealing with something that acts like a puzzle? Huh. Reminds me of that video I have that was the first time I saw Seto Kaiba summon the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon...Man, that was a scary dragon." he swirled his soda a little in its bottle, "Then again, anything with more than one head aside from Cerberus or a cartoon character freaks me out."

* * *

><p>"Those two don't stand a chance of beating Para and Dox," Crowler snickered from the sidelines, "Those two stink worse than dirty socks! Haha! Now they got me doing it!"<p>

* * *

><p>Jaden turned to his partner, "Don't worry about it, Sy, no biggy."<p>

Syrus sulked, "Yeah right…"

"I mean it! Just keep going…" he gave a thumbs-up.

"Okay then…" Syrus nodded, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"At last a smart move. I draw!" Para started his next turn, "I play Monster Reborn to bring back the frightful Jirai Gumo!" the giant spider returned due to the spell's effect, "And I'll also activate another spell card, Tribute Doll!"

"Not again!" Syrus whined.

"Yes again! And again, I sacrifice Jirai Gumo in order to summon another level-7 monster: (5) Suijin(7/ATK: 2500/2400)!" another monster replaced the spider, a gaping blue maw standing on two large legs (ATK: 2500), "And I'm not done yet," he turned to his brother, "Mind if I borrow a monster, brother?"

"Please, that's why he's there!"

"I sacrifice Kaiser Sea Horse!"

Dox smiled as his monster glowed with a dark aura, "In case you did not know, when you wish to summon a light-attribute monster, Kaiser Sea Horse's sacrifice counts as two instead of one!"

"Which means I'm allowed to summon, (6) Sanga of the Thunder(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 2200)!" yet another monster is replaced, by a floating gold golem with two massive arms, crackling with electricity (ATK: 2600). "Three monsters on our side, what could be better?"

"I know what, brother, when they combine together!"

"Prepare yourselves! We sacrifice Suijin, Kazejin, and Sanga of the Thunder, so that we can summon the ultimate monster…" the three monsters glowed in their respective lights of blue, green and yellow and swirled together in one place. "Against the Trinity, you cannot defend!"

"All of your life-points, we will rend!"

The light shown blindly as the monsters' three symbols, engulfed in auras of their respective elements, stood in a triangle formation.

"Elements of Thunder, Water and Wind; Sanga, Suijin, Kazejin begin!" Paradox chanted, "Meld your powers in eternal light; show those fools your unstoppable might!" the three symbols vertically aligned and blobs of darkness began smearing the light. The blackness spread like ink until a large, shadowy beast stood in the way.

* * *

><p>"Is…is that what you were talking about, Chakra?" Jason shuddered.<p>

Chakra nodded, "Like they said, those monsters are the pieces of a Trinity; meaning their true power's revealed when they come together, putting them in the same class as the Forbidden One!"

"Heh. Nothing's got Exodia beat. I mean, you just need all five cards in your hand and you win," Rock chuckled before frowning a bit, "Hey...I just remembered something." the others looked at him, "Three is a magic number." he laughed at his own joke while Chakra glared at him.

* * *

><p>"He is pain beyond description!" Para sneered.<p>

"He'll mark the graves with your inscription!" Dox laughed.

The light died and their true monster is revealed, although not living up to the former theatrics. The three monster stacked ontop on one another, from bottom to top, Suijin, Kazejin and Sanga. The result seemed anticlimactic, but it's power made up for it (ATK: 3750).

"Against our (7) Gate Guardian(11/ATK: 3750/DEF: 3400), you cannot possibly win!" Paradox established.

Syrus watched in horror, "Gate Guardian…?"

"He's enormous!" Jaden gasped.

"Wait until you see his attack, "Para taunted, "Go, attack Steam Gyroid! Tidal Surge Attack!" Gate Guardian launched a stream of water, surrounded by lightning bolts, hitting Steam Gyroid head-on and blasting it to smithereens.

**Jaden/Syrus: ****6450**

**Para/Dox: ****8000**

* * *

><p>Bastion shook his head, "This isn't a duel, this is target practice for the Paradox Brothers; and Syrus is the bullseye."<p>

"He's just made a few bad moves," Alexis reminded him, "He can pull this around…"

* * *

><p>"I know it hurts!"<p>

"But it's about to get worse!"

"If it gets as bad as this rhyming, then we're in serious trouble…" Syrus groaned.

'I hope Jaden has something planned in that deck…or this is all over, as well as our lives at the academy!'

"Well the bigger they are, the harder they fall!' Jaden turned to Syrus, "Come on, let's take this guy down!"

"I would like to see you try!" Para concluded, "I end my turn with a face-down."

"Then it's time to go to work," Jaden drew his next card, "I play Polymerization to fuse Burstinatrix on my field with Clayman from my hand to create…(9) Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster(6/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2500)!" the two fused heroes formed Burstinatrix in an altered version of Clayman's armor with her head guarded halfway down. She knelt down with a shield in front of her (DEF: 2500), "She's bad!"

"Yeah, she's bad…" Syrus shook his head, "But not as bad as that Gate Guardian. She's only got 2500 Def points! Gate Guardian's ATK points are 3750; Blaster's gonna get blasted!"

"Don't sweat it, Sy, that's what her special-ability's for! See, when she's in DEF mode, Rampart Blaster can attack an opponent directly!"

"Our life-points?!" the twins gasped.

"Rampart Blaster, blast them with Rampart Barrage!" the new hero aimed the large gauntlet around her free arm and unleashed a volley of rockets split in two directions, exploding on both corners of the opponent's field.

**Jaden/Syrus: ****6450**

**Para/Dox: ****7000**

"Sure it's only half the damage you would've take. But hey, it's a special-ability, whaddaya gonna do."

"Lucky move." Dox growled.

"Way to go, Jaden! We're back in this!" Syrus cheered.

"Sy, we were never out of it!"

'He's right! We can win this!' Syrus thought.

"My move now," Dox drew his next card, "I'm activating a spell card, Fairy Meteor Crush! And I'm equipping it to the Gate Guardian! Now when the Guardian attack a monster in Def mode, the difference between his ATK points and your monster's DEF points are dealt to you as damage!"

"Not so fast!" Syrus shouted, "You forget, I have a face-down card out! I'm activating Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your spell card!"

"Right into my trap!" Para revealed his own reverse-card, "I play Judgement of Anubis! Foolish boy, this lets me stop your spell card by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard; your typhoon is nothing more than a gentle summer breeze!"

Syrus groaned as the raging vortex dissipated into nothingness. "Aw man…"

"But wait, that's not all it does! Anubis destroys one of your creatures…" Para started.

"And its ATK points are dealt to you, pretty cool special feature" Dox finished. Rampart was then destroyed.

**Jaden/Syrus: 17****50**

**Para/Dox: ****7000**

"I know it seems we have your backs against the wall, but the wall is right in front of you!" Dox summoned a living stone wall to his field (DEF: 2100), "I play (3) Defense Wall(ATK: 0/DEF: 2100)! And as long as it's on the field, when you attack our side of the field, you can only attack him! It's your turn, what are you waiting for?" Dox demanded.

"To be honest…a miracle," Syrus muttered and started his turn, "I, uh, summon Cycroid(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 1200) in DEF mode!" a bell chimed as a cartoon bicycle appeared (DEF: 1200).

"You summon a bike? Well, it's in for a major flat…" Para laughed and started his turn, "Gate Guardian, Tidal Surge Attack!" one again, the Guardian unleashed its full power and wiped away the bicycle. In the process, Syrus endured the same force by his life-points, before he too dropped to his knees.

"Your points are falling…"

Your game is appalling!"

"There is nothing left to be done except give up and start bawling!" the twins chanted.

As the twins cackled, Jaden kept his head low, not making a move or attempting to draw.

* * *

><p>"It's two monsters to none. It's a simple calculation to figure: they're both going to be knackered."<p>

"Nice, Bastion. Now you're dogging them in words I can't even understand. I just hope that Jaden has some sort of strategy…"

"Oh, it's not him at all. I'm sure he's got something up his sleeve. It's Syrus I'm worried about. He's fallen into every trap and walked into every attack that the Paradox Brothers have played. He's been horrible."

"You know, on second thought, I think I liked it better when I couldn't understand what you're saying."

"Oh…sorry."

* * *

><p>"I was hoping I can see some more entertainment," Calypso muttered, "But if things keep going at this rate then it'll just be a waste of time."<p>

'C'mon, let them win!' Chumley pleaded to no one in particular, 'I'll give up grilled cheese for a month! I can just fry them instead!' "Go team..."

* * *

><p>Sheppard could see Crowler peeking at the edge of the stage, enjoying the event, "Enjoying this duel a little too much, Crowler?" he coughed.<p>

The obelisk headmaster jumped, "Oh no! I'm just happy the duel is nearly done," he said, "After all, the students look so weary…I only hope their suffering is almost through."

"Oh? They don't look like their suffering to me, Crowler. In fact, it looks like Jaden's catching his second wind."

"Huh?" Crowler saw Jaden lifting his head, with a determined look on his face when he should've been worried.

* * *

><p>"Well-well, the Slifer Red forges ahead, when a real duelist…"<p>

"…Would have fled."

"Man, I'm starting to wish the academy made us Slifer Orange," Jaden grinned, "then we wouldn't have to put up with all these bad rhymes," Winged Kuriboh appeared and replied with a coo. Jaden chuckled in response, "Yeah, I don't think they got it either!"

"Forget our rhyming…"

"…just focus on your card-playing…"

"…for the partner you have…"

"…to win, you'll have a hard time!"

Jaden looked at his partner, who stared back miserably, "Don't listen to them, Sy." He grinned.

"But they're right!"

"No they're not! I know because you'll be the one to take down that Gate Guardian!"

Syrus blinked, "Huh?!"

"So let's go!" Jaden started his next turn, "I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman in ATK mode!" the electric-armored hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "Next, I equip him with Spark Blaster!" Sparkman became equipped with the large taser in hand, "Now with each blast fired, he can change the battle-mode of one of your monsters! So we'll start with…Gate Guardian! Take a knee!"

Sparkman raised his and fired a blast of paralyzing electricity. Gate Guardian took the hit, making it kneel down (DEF: 3400).

"You must be a fool. When Gate Guardian is in DEF mode, he never tires! Your situation is just as dire…"

"…and though I hate to feed the fire, the Defense Wall we played you have yet to retire!"

"Great, thanks…" Jaden sighed as a reverse-card appeared, "I'm just gonna throw this face-down and end my turn."

"Fine then…" Dox drew his next card, "I'll just place one card face-down. No more, no less," he turned to Para, "Brother, you do the rest."

"Excellent decision, I think it's for the best," Para replied, "Because on this next turn, I'll win this contest!"

"You heard what he said, Jaden…" Syrus whined, "there's no point in me even drawing. I should just give up, maybe at least they'll give you another chance."

"Syrus, listen to me!"

"What?"

"One draw; that's all it takes to turn a duel around, Syrus! You remember the last time you had just one draw, right? There's no such thing as a last draw, because with the right card, you can always get another draw!"

"But…"

"No buts about it! Make your move, Sy! It's all up to you and I know you can do it!"

'I know, Jaden. That's what I'm afraid of!' Syrus thought, 'Jaden said my one draw can keep us from losing this duel. But the only way we won't lose is if we beat that Gate Guardian and…' something suddenly came to mind, and he looked at his deck, 'That's it…that one card is the only chance we have…let's just hope we get it. Because if I don't, it'll get us kicked out of here."

* * *

><p>"Does anyone think Syrus could really take out Gate Guardian?" Mindy wondered.<p>

"Even if he does have something to do the job, I'm sure the odd of drawing the card that'll help is slim to none." Jasmine said.

"Was Gate Guardian at Duelist Kingdom?" Jason asked. "If it was beat then, it can be beat again, right?"

"Well, back at Duelist Kingdom, the Gate Guardian still counts as three consecutive monsters," Rock said, "And they can also nullify weaker attacks. But despite all that, it was destroyed by being dismantled piece-by-piece!"

"But in this case, the Guardian we have is one monster, not three, with a near-overwhelming ATK and DEF power," Chakra refuted, "But there still a means that Syrus have that can get the job done?"

"You really think so?" Jason asked.

"You should know so," Chakra said, "Remember the first move he made when we last saw him duel?"

"Well, I remembered that he couldn't destroy Xiki's monster with his own so he used an effect from one of his cards to do it."

"And the likeness between the Stone Dragon from that duel and the Gate Guardian from this one is that they're both in DEF mode."

"Wait, so you're saying that Syrus' expected to destroy Gate Guardian while it's in DEF mode?" Rock asked and Chakra nodded.

"But only if he draws the right card..."

* * *

><p>All our hopes, all our dreams of being the best, everything we've worked for, gone out the window! Alright, here goes!' after he drew his next card and looked at it, he looked at his partner, "Jaden!"<p>

"You got it, Sy?"

"Yeah!"

"Then show 'em the drill!"

Syrus nodded, "Alright, I summon (9) Drillroid(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1600) in ATK mode!" a small cartoonish tank on trends appeared, with a giant drill for a nose (ATK: 1600), "And guess what, when Drlllroid attacks a monster in DEF mode, it's automatically destroyed!"

Both Paradox brothers gasped as Jaden cheered, "Go for it, Sy!"

"Open wide! Drill a big one, Drillroid!" Drillroid revved it's engine, then sped forward towards the defending guardian. But just as it's getting close, Defense Wall stepped in and took the full force of Drillroid's attack, shattering into debris.

"A nice try…"

"…but not nice enough."

"Gate Guardian still stands…"

"…despite your best stuff!"

"But that wasn't his best stuff," Jaden smirked, "Right, Sy?"

Syrus nodded," Now that your Defense Wall is rubble, you're in for it now! Well, a certain monster will, anyway. I activate the spell card, Shield Crush!" he activated the spell, "Like it's name says, it can instantly destroy a monster that's hiding in DEF mode! Just like, that Gate Guardian of yours!" a burst of energy shot from the card and enveloped the giant monster and destroyed it.

"Gate Guardian is cooked!"

"I can barely look!"

"Way to go, Sy!" Jaden grinned, "The bigger they brawl, the harder they fall!"

* * *

><p>Throught the arena everyone cheered for the two students as they managed to take down a powerful monster like Gate Guardian.<p>

"Yeah! Fried cheese, here I come!" Chumley clapped.

"Did you see that? Tel me you saw that! Did you?!"

Yee, I saw it!" Alexis groaned, "I'm sitting right next to you watching my friends duel, aren't I? The thing that surprises me most, is not just them taking out that Gate Guardian, but the teamwork they used to do it! That is what it's gonna take to win this."

"Yes...let's hope they keep it up."

* * *

><p>"Okay, now I'll place one card face-down and end my turn," Syrus concluded, then looked at Jaden, "Thanks for the pep-talk."<p>

"Hey, thanks for the great move!" Jaden replied with a thumbs-up, "Told ya you'd be the one to take him down!"

"Mind if we join in on the praise, you two?"

"Because, for destroying that monster, we should really…"

"Thank you." Paradox responded, their smiles removing what dismay they showed, and gave it to Syrus.

"W-what?"

"They say what doesn't destroy you makes you stronger…" Para drew his next card, "That's true, we haven't been destroyed and we are about to be more powerful than ever!" he showed his opponents a spell in his hand before activating, "Thanks to this: Dark Element! This spell card is activated whenever Gate Guardian is in the graveyard…"

**Jaden/Syrus: 17****50**

**Para/Dox: 35****00**

"Now, by paying half our life-points…" Para continued as a dark mist poured from both brothers' duel-disks, "We can summon a monster that can't be destroyed in battle: (8) Dark Guardian(12/ATK: 3800/DEF: 3800)!" a dark vortex ripped open from underneath the arena floor. A furious wind blew around as a giant centaur-like creature rose from inside the dark hole. The armored beast stood erect with its giant steel axe in hand (ATK: 3800).

* * *

><p>"But I thought Gate Guardian was their strongest monster!" Jason said.<p>

"Same here!" Rock said, "I guess those brothers still got a few tricks up their sleeve!"

"Somehow that doesn't surprise me," Chakra said, "It should be natural that they'd have an alternative ready in case their original plan didn't work.

* * *

><p>"Dark Guardian! Attack Drilloid with Axe Slam Bash!" the huge creature roared and raised its mighty axe and brought it down, unleashing a sea of fire flooding towards the opponent's field. "Farewell, fools!"<p>

"Not so fast! I activate my face-down trap, Hero Barrier!" Jaden revealed his reverse-card.

"What?!"

"Sorry fellas, but this trap lets me stop the attack of one monster as one as one Elemental Hero is on my field. And Sparkman's standing tall right here!" the burst of power was met with an opposing blue wall. The two forces grinded against each other before repelling into a giant explosion. The smoke cleared as if nothing happened.

"An impressive trap…"

"…I know, we bombard and bombard. Oh well, at least our precious Dark Guardian…"

"…has kept up his guard!"

"Quite right, brother! He won't be blasted to shards…"

"…he'll finish them off next turn…"

"…and the duel shall be ours!" the two Paradox laughed.

'Just when I step up their game, they step up theirs…' Syrus fell to his knees, 'we're not gonna win this…'

"Chin up, Sy, this match isn't over yet."

Hearing Jaden, he turned to him, "But Jay…"

"But nothing. Stand up right now!" Jaden looked at his deck, then at the Dark Guardian, 'Cause you'll whanna see what I'm about to pull off…' Syrus stood in place a few moments before rising to his feet.

"It seems the boy wants to proceed."

"Really? I thought for mercy he would plead."

"No, he would need smarts to concede."

"Can it, you two! It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I play the spell card, Pot of Greed! This allows me to draw 2 more cards from my deck," he drew two cards, the placed one into his field-spell slot, "Now I'll play Fusion Gate! With this card, I don't need Polymerization. I can summon all the fusion-monsters I want. So I'll fuse Elemental Hero Avian, Elemental Hero Bubbleman, and how about we toss Sparkman into the mix! All of the create…wait for it…" Sparkman joined the feather-winged hero and the bubble-shooting hero and merged their energies into one. In their place came a combined masked titan, who's hovering off the ground from its metallic wings, staring down its opponent through its reflective visor, "Yeah, there he is: the (*) Elemental Hero Tempest(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2800)!"

* * *

><p>"A fine creature, but still no match against the Dark Guardian."<p>

"Bastion, just who's side are you on?"

* * *

><p>"An impressive move, but it is useless, boy!"<p>

"Have you forgotten about Dark Guardian? He's still deployed. And in battle, he can't be destroyed!"

"That beast is null and void."

"Void this: Skyscraper!" Jaden replaced his previous field-spell with his more common one form his hand. The scene changed as large erecting buildings rose up, shadowing the four duelists, "Didn't you hear not to play in a construction zone? Well, it's true because of Skyscraper, my Elemental Hero Tempest gains 1000 ATK point boost in ATK because it's weaker than your Dark Guardian!"

Elemental Hero Tempest: (ATK: 3800)

"What the?! The Paradox cried.

"Tempest, attack with Powerhouse Plummet!"

Para smirked as Tempest rammed its fist into Dark guardian's chest, energy flowing around them due to the backlashing wind the impact caused, "Didn't I warn you? He can't be beat. You elemental Hero Tempest has been wasted, so just accept…"

"…your defeat!"

"Syrus, can you spare a card!?" Jaden asked over the wind.

"Sure! Take it!"

"I activate Tempest's special-ability! As long as I banish one of our cards to the graveyard, Tempest isn't destroyed!" all players watch as the wind died down, both giant monsters still standing.

"Jaden…"

"It's okay, Syrus. All you have to do is play the right card, come your turn!"

"If he even has a next turn!" Dox drew his next card, "I play the trap card One-on-One Fight! Though I'm sure you'd prefer to run and hide, this card makes our strongest monsters do battle! So I hope your Elemental Hero Tempest is ready for a rematch!"

"But why?!" Syrus wondered, "It's just be a tie again!"

"I have my reasons." Dox smirked as the two monsters clashed again.

* * *

><p>"Sneaky reasons too..." Alixis realized, "For Tempest to stay on the field, the guys will have to sacrifice more and more cards!"<p>

"And whatever edge they give him..."

* * *

><p>"I guess I have no choice. I'll have to get rid of Skyscraper," Jaden sulked as the towers vanished. The two monsters collided, but the backlash dealt harm to the two red students.<p>

**Jaden/Syrus: 7****50**

**Para/Dox: 35****00**

"That's all for me," Dox concluded, and looked at his brother.

"And next turn, I'll give you my guarantee…"

"…this duel will be ours, just wait and see!"

"Alright, Syrus, this is it," Jaden assured, "Remember what I said!"

'Right…that this would all work out if I played the right card,' Syrus thought, '…Wait a minute…'

"Got it, Sy?"

Syrus nodded and looked at his deck, 'Play…that's what my brother was saying; about the difference using a card, and plying a card…but do I know the difference?'

"Here we go!" Syrus snatched the top card out and looked at it, "Yes!"

"Sy?" Jaden blinked.

"First, I sacrifice Drillroid to summon (10) UFORoid(5/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200) in ATK mode!" the cartoon drill was replaced by an animated silver flying saurcer (ATK: 1200), "Also, I activate the spell card, Power-Bond!"

Jaden nodded, "Nice going, buddy!"

"Smd I know just what two monsters to choose…Jaden, may I borrow him?" Syrus asked.

"Go for it!"

"The I merge UFORoid and Tempest to create (*) UFORoid Fighter(8/ATK: ?/DEF: ?)!" Syrus looked up to see both his and Jaden's monsters merge together. Now Tempest was resting his wings as he stood on an UFORoid converted into a hovering platform. "Also, his ATK and DEF points are equal to the combined ATK strength of both monsters (ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000)!"

"It matters not, so cease your prattle!"

"You know Dark Guardian cannot be destroyed in battle!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't matter! Power-Bond has a special effect that doubles my monster's ATK points!"

UFORoid Fighter: (ATK: 8000)

"8000?!" the Paradox gasped.

* * *

><p>"Sure Dark Guardian can't be destroyed, but that doesn't mean your life-points are safe! UFORoid Fighter, attack with Cosmic Flux Blast!" Syrus and Jaden's new monster lift his right-arm cannon and shot a huge, powerful stream of blue energy that slammed hard into the struggling Dark Guardian. The excess power escaped against it and swept into the Paradox Brothers.<p>

**Jaden/Syrus: 7****50**

**Para/Dox: ****0**

* * *

><p>"Way to go!" Chumley yelled from the stands.<p>

Bastion shook his head, smiling, "Those two impress me more everyday..."

"I'm just glad Jaden gets to stay here." Alexis sighed in relief.

"You mean Syrus _and_ Jaden."

"Uh, yes. Syrus too, of course. I just said Jaden because I, um...moving on!"

* * *

><p>"Oh yeah! They got it!" Rock whooped as he wrapped an arm over Jason's shoulders and raised his bottle of root beer in glee, "Tonight, the finest root beer I make for 'em!"<p>

"Hay, Jason, I think it's about time you go back on the field," Chakra said, "Beside, I think a congratulations is in order."

Jason nodded and left his seat for the stadium. He went back out the door to get to the ground floor.

* * *

><p>But as he turned that last corner, something moved in and collided with him, knocking him to the floor. He recovered quickly and took a look at when he hit: a girl with short blond hair and glasses sat opposite on the floor with him in a daze state he could've been in a moment ago.<p>

Jason gasped and jumped to his feet, "Oh no! Are you alright?"

The girl regained her senses and saw Jason looking at her, "Wah! Did I do something wrong?!" she yelped and jumped back.

"Huh, no! I...can I help you up?" Jason held out his hand. And after a moment, the girl took it and was pulled up. "I'm sorry I bumped into you."

With her hand let go she backed up and looked away, rubbing her arm, "No, it's my fault. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"If it means anything, I wasn't watching where I was ether...I gotta go!" realizing he was in a hurry, Jason ran out to the stadium.

* * *

><p>There Jaden and Syrus stood at the arena, with Chumley already with them, "Jason, you made it!" Chumley said.<p>

"That was a good duel you and Syrus did, Jaden." was what Jason had to say.

"You didn't have to tell me twice! That's one duel down. All that's left is you two."

"Yeah! And after we win we'll all be able to stay here!" Chumley said.

"Alright, you stood there long enough," Crowler stepped on stage, "Let's hurry up and get the next duel over with!"

As Jaden and Syrus walked off the arena, Syrus turned back to see his brother, still in his place before leaving, 'I wanna know if I've impressed you, Zane. I want to tell you that I now know the difference between playing and using a card. But I know that I have a lot to learn and a lot to live up to...'

With two of the slifer students left Crowler cleared his throat and announced to the crowd, "Alright, now that that's out of the way allow me to bring you the next disciplinary duel! Will the next opponent please step forth!"

"This is it. You ready, Jason?"

"I'm ready...are you?" Jason took a glance at Chumley for a moment and then realized that his fellow Slifer didn't look so confident as he thought. In fact, he looks frightened. "Something wrong?" Chumley pointed at the direction of the arena's entrance where he's looking at. And even when he saw what Chumley was seeing, but somehow understood.

"Jason...I think we're in trouble!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Jirai Gumo  
><strong>

**Stats: [Insect/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 2200/DEF: 100)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: When this card declares an attack: Toss a coin and call it. If you call it wrong, lose half your Life Points.  
><strong>**********************

**(2) Kaiser Sea Horse  
><strong>

**Stats: [Sea-Serpent/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1650)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

************************Effect: This card can be treated as 2 Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a LIGHT monster.  
><strong>**********************

**(3) Defense Wall  
><strong>

**Stats: [Rock/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 0/DEF: 2100)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: While this card is in face-up Defense Position, your opponent cannot attack other monsters you control.  
><strong>**********************

**(4) Kazejin  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2200)**

****Attribute: WIND  
><strong>**

************************Effect: During damage calculation in your opponent's turn, if this card is being attacked: You can target the attacking monster; make that target's ATK 0 during damage calculation only (this is a Quick Effect). This effect can only be used once while this card is face-up on the field.  
><strong>**********************

**(5) Suijin  
><strong>

**Stats: [Aqua/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 2400)**

****Attribute: WATER  
><strong>**

************************Effect: During damage calculation in your opponent's turn, if this card is being attacked: You can target the attacking monster; make that target's ATK 0 during damage calculation only (this is a Quick Effect). This effect can only be used once while this card is face-up on the field.  
><strong>**********************

**(6) Sanga of the Thunder  
><strong>

**Stats: [Thunder/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 2200)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

************************************************Effect: During damage calculation in your opponent's turn, if this card is being attacked: You can target the attacking monster; make that target's ATK 0 during damage calculation only (this is a Quick Effect). This effect can only be used once while this card is face-up on the field.************************************************

**(7) Gate Guardian  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 11 (ATK: 3750/DEF: 3400)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by Tributing 1 "Sanga of the Thunder", "Kazejin", and "Suijin".  
><strong>**********************

**(8) Dark Guardian  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 12 (ATK: 3800/DEF: 3800)**

****Attribute: DARK  
><strong>**

************************************************Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except with "Dark Element". This card cannot be destroyed by battle.************************************************

**(9) Drillroid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1600)**

****Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>**

************************Effect: Before damage calculation, if this card attacks a Defense Position monster: Destroy that monster.  
><strong>**********************

**(10) UFORoid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

************************************************Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 Machine-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck in face-up Attack Position.************************************************

**(11) Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2500)**

****Attribute: FIRE  
><strong>**

************************Effect: "Elemental HERO Clayman" + "Elemental HERO Burstinatrix"  
>This monster cannot be Special Summoned except by Fusion Summon. While this card is in face-up Defense Position, it can attack your opponent directly. If it does, this card's ATK is halved during damage calculation only.<br>************************

**(12) Elemental Hero Tempest  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2800)**

****Attribute: WIND  
><strong>**

************************************************Effect: "Elemental HERO Avian" + "Elemental HERO Sparkman" + "Elemental HERO Bubbleman"  
>Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. You can send 1 other card you control to the Graveyard to target 1 monster you control; while this card is face-up on the field, that monster cannot be destroyed by battle.<strong>**********************************************

**(13) UFORoid Fighter  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: ?/DEF: ?)**

****Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>**

************************************************Effect: "UFOroid" + 1 Warrior-Type monster  
>A Fusion Summon of this card can only be conducted with the above Fusion Material Monsters. The original ATK and DEF of this card become equal to the combined original ATK of the 2 Fusion Material Monsters you used for the Fusion Summon of this card.<strong>**********************************************

* * *

><p><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>**********************************************


	14. Ultimatum Tag Team Trial: Metal Raiders

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso. Rock belongs to Gammatron and Aspen belongs to WrittenWhim.**

* * *

><p>It's once again time for Jason and Chumley's disciplinary duel and their opponent has just entered the arena. Chumley looked like he's seen a ghost when he saw him. But when Jason saw him, all he saw scruffy, muscular man in shades, wearing a red shirt under a black leather vest.<p>

"So this is our opponent?" Jason asked.

"The next disciplinary duel will now go underway!" Crowler announced, "Now I present to you the next duelist: he's the—"

"Why don't you can it, ponytail!" the new visitor snapped, causing Crowler to flinch from the outburst, "I don't need some hoity-toity stiff telling me who I am! Outta my way!" he shoved the two Slifers aside when he reached the stage, "Besides, anyone with a brain-stem oughta know who I am by now!" he looked back at the boys and grinned, "Ain't that right."

Jason blinked, "…I'm sorry, who are you?" Most of the stadium went quiet. Did he say something wrong?

"Huh?" the visitor lowered his shades, giving off a threatening glare and a sinister grin at Jason, "Don't you know? They call me Bandit Keith!"

* * *

><p>"I suppose it'd be no guess that Jason doesn't know who their opponent is." Alexis said.<p>

"If he did, he'd rightfully be just as frightened as Chumley is." Bastion said.

"Hey, Alexis! Bastion!" Jaden came over with Syrus.

"Hello, Jaden," Bastion greeted, "I want to be the first to congratulate Syrus and you on your duel."

"Um, thanks!" Syrus said.

"Now it's Jason and Chumley's turn," Alexis stated, waiting for the next duel to start, "The question is are they ready for what's about to happen."

* * *

><p>"This is nuts!" Chumley whimpered, "We have to duel Bandit Keith of all people?!"<p>

"Wait, is he supposed to be really tough or something?" Jason wondered.

"You mean you don't know?!" Chumley exclaimed, "Bandit Keith's a Card Professor! One of the best, too!"

* * *

><p>"Chumley's right to be scared," Jasmine said, "Those Card Professors use their skills best at winning prizes from tournaments."<p>

"But this isn't a tournament," Mindy pointed out, "So what would he be doing here?"

"You make a good point. They must've offered him plenty for him just to duel a couple of high-schoolers." Someone else came over and seated on the bleachers nearby, a tall tan girl with dark-brown hair.

"Aspen? You just now got here?" Chakra asked.

"I had an errand to run and someone took my seat while I left. So I thought I'd sit here." Aspen explained, then looked down to the field, "I'd say this is gonna be a tough duel for them."

"He oughta be!" Rock said, "Keith's as tough as they come!"

* * *

><p>"So, uh, which one of us should go first?" Chumley wondered, his lack of confidence betraying him.<p>

"How about you? You can go first." Jason offered.

"What?! Uh, no, you first. I insist!"

"Okay, why don't we play rock-paper-scissors for it?"

"Fine, then we'll do it like 'one-two-three-go'."

"Alright, one…two…"

"Three!"

"Rock-paper-scissors!" the two slifers both brought out their hands, but both came out rock, "Tie! Go again!" they tried again, only for them both to come out with paper, ""Tie! Go again!" again, this time they came out with scissors. "Tie! Go again!"

* * *

><p>"Ha! Figures!" Chazz smirked, "They're so scared they're trying to force each other to take the first fall!"<p>

"They're just stalling for time," Calypso said, "One of them will have to duel, and eventually _both_ of them will fall."

* * *

><p>"Tie, go again! Tie, go again! Tie, go again!"<p>

"Alright, that's enough!" Crowler called out, "You don't have to duel one-on-one. I've already arranged someone to be your opponent's tag-partner."

"Hey, I thought he's the only other person to come here!" Chumley said.

"That's why one of our own will assist Bandit Keith in your upcoming tag-duel…and it looks like she's already here." Looking towards the opposite end of the stadium, Crowler welcomed the second mystery duelist, "Dueling with Bandit Keith will be one of the best (and apparently only female) from Ra Yellow: I welcome Noire Kennedy!" a glasses-wearing girl with blonde hair stepped into the ring.

'That's the girl I bumped into a minute ago,' Jason realized, 'She's dueling too?' when he and she were both caught looking at one another, Noire shrink and turned away while Jason adverted his gaze elsewhere.

"Duelist, take your places so that we can begin!" Crowler stated. The four duelists took position on one corner of the field, Jason and Chumley standing side-by-side on one side while Keith and Noire stood on the opposite.

"Alright, without any further ado, let the second disciplinary duel—"

"You stop right there!" a voice boomed from the stadium entrance. Anais came stomping onto the stage past the Slifers. "I'm the one who arranged this match. So I should referee! Understand?!" Crowler didn't respond, rather he scurried off the stage. With him gone Anais took his place at center stage. "Now, allow me to _properly_ get this disciplinary duel underway." She huffed.

With that being said, everyone sat tight and waited for the duel to begin.

* * *

><p>"C'mon, guys. One more duel, one more win!" Jaden prayed.<p>

* * *

><p>"Bandit Keith, Noire Kennedy, Chumley Huffington, and Jason Hutchins. Your peers, student and faculty alike, await your bout. Let the duel commence!" by the referee's signal each duelist activated their duel-disks and drew their starting hand.<p>

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 8000**

Keith grinned as he scanned his hand, "So tell me, does it give you chills knowing you're up against the number one Card Professor in the United States?"

Chumley dismissed that question as rhetorical, while Jason was more interested in the duel-disk his opponent's using. It looks similar to his but came in a different color, "I thought duel-disks are supposed to be white!"

"Oh, so you noticed!" Keith raised his black duel-disk to flaunt with pride, "This special duel-disk is one-of-a-kind, worn exclusively by the top professor; which is me!"

Anais noticed it as well from the sidelines, and distinguished Keith's duel-disk in comparison to Jason's. "Which reminds me, why haven't we given Jason a duel-disk yet…?"

"Now on to business!" Keith started the duel and drew his sixth card, "I'll start off with this: (1) Bowganian(3/ATK: 1300/ DEF: 1000) in DEF mode!" a spherical metal green shell with an eye underneath appeared, holding a small bowgun by one of its small arms (DEF: 1000), "Then I place one card face-down!" a reverse-card appeared behind the monster that'll do for now."

"It's my turn! I draw!" Chumley drew his card and scanned his hand for the card he needed, 'This'll do fine.' "I summon—"

"Now so fast! I haven't activated my down card yet!" Keith opened his reverse-card, which became a continuous-trap, "With Light of Intervention, every monster's gotta be summoned face-up! No one's hiding anything this duel!"

"…I summon Des Koala in DEF mode," the brown-furred koala appeared (DEF: 1800), "Then, I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn." Two reverse-cards appeared.

"I-It's my turn…" Noire drew her sixth card.

"And it's time for Bowganian's special-ability to activate!" Keith interrupted, his defensive monster aiming with its bow, "This little guy spears you with 600 points of damage!" the monster fired an arrow right through Chumley, the target winching from the impact.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 7400**

"This is bad," Jason muttered, "It's the first round and we already lost 600 life-points."

"And you're gonna keep losing 'em, too!" Keith said, "Cause Bowganian can dish out the same amount of damage during each of my standby-phases! And since my partner and I share the same field it applies to her turn as well! But I'll sit back and let Noire have a go!"

"Um…thanks?" Noire mumbled, "I s-summon Inpachi(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1900) in DEF mode," a large robot in a shell of wooden armor appeared on one knee (DEF: 1900), "N-next, I activate the continuous-spell card, Machina Armored Unit. Then, I end my turn."

'I don't like the looks of that card,' Jason thought, 'I wonder what she's gonna do with it…"

"Hey, kid!" Keith barked, "Are you gonna make a move or what!"

"Huh? Oh! It's my turn!" Jason drew his card, "I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Then I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"Get ready! It's my turn to draw!" Keith started his next turn, "And get ready for another 600 points of damage!" Bowganian shot another arrow, this time at Jason.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 6800**

"But that's the least of your problem. Next I switch Bowganian to ATK mode and summon (2) KA-2 Des Scissors(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) to this field!" a small, dark-blue crab-like robot appeared (ATK: 1000), "And equip it with Axe of Despair, giving it double the ATK points!" the machine grew double in size (ATK: 2000), "Go, Des Scissors! Slice and dice that Des Koala!" Des Scissors scuttled fast towards Chumley's Des Koala and waved its razor-sharp pincher-like scissors to destroy it with a few cuts.

"My koala!" Chumley cried.

"But that's not all; when Des Scissors destroys a monster, it deals 500 points of damage for each level that monster has. That koala's a level-3, right!" Des Scissors pounced forth and slashed at Chumley with its sharp scissors.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 5300**

"And there's no way I'm leaving Bowganian out! Attack!" Bowganian fired once again with its crossbow.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 4000**

"Finally, one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "I think that's enough damage for now."

"Look at that! The duel just started and they're already halfway behind!" Rock gasped.

"What were you expecting? They're playing against a Card Professor," Aspen said, "And no one is more skilled among then than the Bandit.

"My turn…!" Chumley drew his next card and looked at it, 'If only I had this card sooner! But this is better a time than nothing…' "First I activate the Spiritual Forest card!" the continuous-spell came to life around the edge of the field, "Next I summon Des Kangaroo in ATK mode!" the green boxing kangaroo appeared (ATK: 1500), "Kangaroo, attack with Whirling Wallop!" Des Kangaroo reeled its spinning gloved paw and shot through Bowganian.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 7800**

**Chumley/Jason: 4000**

"I barely felt that attack!" Keith scoffed, "In fact all that actually did was trigger the Machina Armored Unit on my field, which lets me summon a weaker machine with the same attribute from my deck! And the monster I choose is Blocker(4/ATK: 850/DEF: 1800), in DEF mode!" a multi-jointed orange robot appeared in a defensive position (DEF: 1800).

"I end my turn." Chumley concluded.

"My turn…" Noire drew her next card, "I summon Acrobat Monkey(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1800) in DEF mode," a small silver-plated monkey robot appeared (DEF: 1800). "T-then I end my turn there."

"My turn," Jason drew, "And during my standby-phase, while I have Elemental Hero Woodsman on the field, I can add Polymerization from my deck to my hand," after fishing his deck for his magic card, he squatted down just to shuffle his deck on the platform floor, "And with that done I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy to increase both players' life-points by 1000!" a temporary light drizzle took placed over the field.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8800**

**Chumley/Jason: 5000**

"Next, I activate a second magic card, Hero's Bond! This let's me summon 2 more Elemental Heroes from my hand while there's one my field! I summon Elemental Hero Heat and Elemental Hero Knospe!" the fire hero (ATK: 1600) and flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "And while Heat is on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for each Elemental Hero on my field (ATK: 2200)! Elemental Hero Heat attacks Des Scissors!" Heat ignited his fists and punched through the robot crab.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8600**

**Chumley/Jason: 5000**

"You may have destroyed my machine, but because of Machina Armored Unit, I get to summon another weaker one to take its place, like Yaiba Robo(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1300)!" a cubical yellow box appeared with several different cutting blades jutting from it (DEF: 1300), "And this is one machine that weed can't get through!"

"Whenever I attack with Knospe, he can attack directly, and transfer 100 points from her DEF to ATK points after each attack!" Knospe fired its projectile seeds at Keith.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 5000**

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 600-700/DEF: 1000-900)

"I end my turn."

"My turn," Keith drew his next card, "First I activate the continuous-spell Second Coin Toss, and activate the spell Card of Demise. It lets me draw five new cards so long as toss 'em all on my fifth turn," he then drew four cards and grinned at whet he received, "Well, lookie what I got here!" he flipped one among them over, revealing a Polymerization card, "Looks like you're not the only one with a fusion card. I think I'll go ahead and take it out for a spin!" after activation, a swirling green-and-orange vortex sucked in two bigger machines, "By fusing together Barrel Dragon and Blowback Dragon, I'll be putting together something that'll really getcha quaking in your boots!" a large machine landed hard onto the field, cracking the ground underneath with its spiked cartwheels. Its dark-grey torso supported three tubes ending with a large, silver gatling gun with a mouth attached on each end. Two are treated as arms attached to the sides while the third acted as the head itself (ATK: 2600), "Say hi to my (7) Gatling Dragon(8/ATK: 2600/DEF: 1200)!"

'That must be the strongest monster Keith has,' Jason thought, 'But what is he gonna do with it…?'

"Now onto Gating Dragon's ability!" the dragon's three heads rose, each one aiming at either Jason's monster or Chumley's, the dragons' mouths shut, "This bad boy can obliterate your monsters up to three times per turn! And it's a special-ability dealing the damage! No spells or traps can save you from this kind of firepower!"

"Let's see how many monster I can clear off this time!" a low hum can be heard from the dragon before a click can be heard, as one of the dragons' mouths snapped open, "Only one huh? That won't do. That's what my Second Coin Toss card is for! You see my dragon's ability is treated as a coin-toss effect! So with this nifty spell card I get a do-over!" the same process repeated itself until the dragons' mouths snapped open, this time they were two, "That's more like it! Now first thing's first! I'll use Gatling's first attack on that kangaroo of yours!"

"I activate my trap card, Gift of the Mystical Elf!" Chumley hastily opened one of his reverse-cards, "This card increases me and Jason's life-points by 300 for each monster on the field! And since there's already nine monsters out, we get 2700 life-points!" a blue aura briefly surrounded both slifers, just in time before Des Kangaroo was shot down by one of the dragon's gatling heads.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 7700**

"That didn't save your monster form being destroyed! And now for that Elemental Hero! Go, Gatling Blast!" Gatling Dragon fired off and destroyed Heat, "Now that your field's vulnerable, I switch Blocker and Yaiba Robo both to ATK mode!" Blocker separated itself into many smaller parts while Yaiba Robo's blades came to life, "And now I'll wage a direct attack on the big guy with all three of my machines!" the machine monsters quickly advanced for the assault.

"I activate Kunai with Chain!" Jason's reverse-card opened and the chain-liked blade tied itself to Gatling Dragon, as Woodsman steered the machine off-course with the by its chain (DEF: 1200). "This card switches your monster to DEF mode, and gives Woodsman 500 extra ATK points (ATK: 1500)!"

"Too bad you can't do the same for my other two monsters!" Keith smirked, his remaining machines bombarding Chumley.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 8000**

**Chumley/Jason: 5850**

"Finally I end my turn with a face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "now make your move!"

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, 'If I summon another monster, he'll just destroy it with that gatling thing! But if I don't, then I'll just keep leaving myself wide open!' he snuck a glance at Jason, 'But if I know Jason's deck like I should, then we don't have to worry about it for long. I just have to keep my defenses up!' "I summon Nimble Momonga in ATK mode!" the small flying squirrel appeared (ATK: 1000), "Momonga, attack Blocker!" the squirrel flew fast and smashed through the sensitive Blocker machine and destroyed it.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 7850**

**Chumley/Jason: 5850**

"That ends my turn!" Chumley concluded.

"My turn…" Noire drew her next card, "I sacrifice Acrobat Monkey to summon Steel Ogre Grotto #2(6/ATK: 1900/DEF: 2200)," the small mechanical monkey was then replaced by a much larger in the form of a black knight, kneeling on one knee with its arms crossed (DEF: 2200). "I end my turn there."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization and fuse Elemental Hero Knospe on my field with Elemental Hero Voltic from my hand, so I can summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the flowerbud hero and electric hero were pulled into the vortex before the colossal armored earth hero landed onto the field (ATK: 2200), "Gaia's special-ability cuts the ATK points of your Gatling Dragon in half! And that half is added to Gaia's ATK!" Gaia punched a hole into the ground, where a large shockwave headed towards Gatling Dragon. The ground exploded underneath on contact.

"Yeah, but there's one thing you probably forgot to take into account…" Keith smirked. The smoke cleared and the Gatling Dragon was gone. But two other machines took its place, both looking dragon-like in appearance. One had its hands and head replaced by a long-barreled revolver (ATK: 2600), while the other had no arms but a large marron handgun for its head (ATK: 2300). "You have to actually hit the target to rack up the points!"

"Gatling Dragon disappeared, and two more monsters appear!" Jason gasped, "What just happened?"

"What just happened is you walked into my trap!" Keith reveled his reverse-card, "Or should I say 'quick-play spell'! By playing De-Fusion I separated my fusion-monster back into its original components! Say hello to (3) Barrel Dragon(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 2200) and (4) Blowback Dragon(6/ATK: 2300/DEF: 1200)!"

* * *

><p>"I see!" Bastion said, impressed, "By using De-Fusion, he removed the targeted monster so Gaia won't benefit from it's own effect."<p>

"It's just one trick!" Jaden protested, "It's gonna take more than that to stop 'em!"

"I hope you're right…" Syrus mumbled, "Because if they lose, they'll have to leave!"

* * *

><p>"I think I've seen those before…" Jason said, looking over the two machines. There he saw what he thought is an error in their design, "Wait, aren't there supposed to be lasers on their heads?!"<p>

"So you noticed, huh? You're looking at the uncensored, unedited models! The first editions! Whatever monsters you're used to seeing are just edits to make it more 'child-friendly'. Ha! I blame the FCC for that; just unnecessary rewrites just like those ugly orange caps the put on toy guns in the states!"

"Jason blinked, "You…say it like it's a bad thing."

"Ya see?! That's just the kind of blind innocence I'd expect form a soccer mom like you!" Keith spat, "Break's over, now make your move!"

"I use Elemental Hero Gaia to attack Yaiba Robo!" the armored earth hero smashed the cubic machine with its giant arm.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 6650**

**Chumley/Jason: 5850**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Jason concluded.

"It's my turn!" Keith drew his next card, "I activate the spell Pot of Greed to draw two new cards! Next it's time to play a little game I like called Russian Roulette!" the three chambers on Barrel Dragon began spinning while the hammer on the back of Blowback Dragon's head pulled back, "See, these dragons can blast away whatever card I choose on your field! But the trick is, they got a 1/3 chance of firing a dud. So I'm using Barrel Dragon's effect to destroy one of your monsters. Like your Gaia for starters!" Barrel Dragon's three revolvers exploded and destroyed Elemental Hero Gaia, "As for Blowback Dragon, his effect's a little different, 'cause it doesn't matter what type of card it is when he blows it to bits! Let's start with that face-down!" the hammer slammed back in with a click, but nothing came of it, "A dud, huh? No problem. I'll just activate Second Coin Toss and get a do-over!" the hammer pulled back before releasing, this time the pistol went off and destroyed Jason's reverse-card. "That's more like it! Now on to the battle-phase. I think I'll start off with Blowback Dragon. Attack Nimble Momonga!" Blowback fired, but a barrier quickly rose to protect the flying squirrel.

"You forgot my Spiritual Forest trap!" Chumley said, "It protects any beast, beast-warrior or plant-type monster once a turn!"

"Too bad I can't attack once a turn! Barrel Dragon, attack!" Barrel Dragon fired and destroyed Chumley's monster!"

"When Nimble Momonga's destroyed in battle, not only do I gain back 1000 life-points, I can summon 2 more to the field in DEF mode!" two more squirrels appeared (DEF: 100).

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 6650**

**Chumley/Jason: 6850**

"No big deal. I'll just squash 'em next turn!" Keith concluded.

* * *

><p>"And with those two dragons out, that won't be that hard." Chakra said.<p>

"I agree," Aspen added, "The thing about those dragons' abilities is that they both rely on a coin toss, and two heads out of three are required for activation. And with Second Coin Toss on the field, he can always get a do-over."

"So what are they waiting for?!" Rock cried, "They just gotta scrap those machines and problem's solved!"

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, 'Good card! I can use this to get rid of Keith's Machine and get us in the lead!' he compared it with the others he hold in his hand, 'Yeah, that's the one!' "I summon (13) Vampire Koala(4ATK: 1800/DEF: 1500) to the field in ATK mode!" a different Koala appeared, this one with darker grey fur and a black bat-shaped mark on its forehead. It also wore a drape of red cloth that went down its back (ATK: 1800).

"Another Koala?" Keith laughed, "It can't even hold a candle against my machine monsters!"

"It will when I activate Wild Nature's release!" Chumley's spell came to life and his koala grew twice its size, "Now his DEF points are added to his ATK points (ATK:3300)! Vampire Koala, attack!" Vampire Koala let out a powerful screech that shattered Barrel Dragon's revolvers' before destroying the monster itself, "And there's more: any damage you take is also added to my life-points!"

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 5950**

**Chumley/Jason: 7600**

"You may have beaten my monster, but I still got a Machina Armored Unit that let's me summon another machine from my deck! And this time I'm bringing out Slot Machine(7/2000/DEF: 2300), in DEF mode!" a giant metal robot with three slot windows on its torso appeared. It has a lever over its left shoulder and an arm cannon as its right arm (DEF: 2300).

"I'll place one card face-down and end my turn. But then Wild Nature's Release activates and my monster has to be destroyed." Chumley's Vampire Koala exploded into pixels.

"It's my turn," Noire drew her next card, "I sacrifice Inpachi to summon Royal Guard(6/ATK: 1900/DEF: 2200) in DEF mode," the wooden robot was replaced my a giant blue round robot standing on an iron ball. The key on its back kept turning as it crossed its arms (DEF: 2200). "I end my turn…"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'So far so good. We managed to get rid of that Barrel Dragon. Now to get rid of that other thing…' "I activate Elemental Hero Woodsman's effect, which lets me add Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand! Now I activate it and fuse Elemental Hero Ice Edge and Elemental Hero Poison Rose to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the young ice hero and female plant heroine merged to create the armored ice hero (ATK: 2500-3000), "Absolute Zero attacks Blowback Dragon!" Absolute Zero lunged forward and struck past Blowback Dragon, destroying it in the process.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 5250**

**Chumley/Jason: 7600**

"I activate Machina Armored Unit and summon Pendulum Machine(5/ATK: 1750/DEF: 2000) from my deck in DEF mode!" a fearsome robot with a guillotine as its lower half appeared (DEF: 2000).

"I end my turn."

"Now it's my turn," Keith drew his next card, "This must be my lucky day! I'm getting tons of goodies one after the other! And this Pot of Avarice card does just that!" he activated the spell card.

'That sounds kinda like Pot of Greed,' Jason thought, 'I wonder if it does the same thing…'

"This card lets me take five monster from my graveyard and mix 'em back into my deck, then I draw two brand new cards!" Keith brought out Bowganian, Yaiba Robo, Blocker, KA-2 Des Scissors and Blowback Dragon from his graveyard and shuffled them into his deck, drawing twice more afterwards, "I sacrifice Slot Machine and Pendulum Machine to bring out something that's really outta this world!" the two previous machine vanished. And materializing in their place came a robot in the form of a giant white sphere, aided by large white forearms and tow rocket boosters from behind, all separated from the main unit by a glowing yellow ring (ATK: 2800). "Meet (5) The Big Saturn(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2200)!"

"And if you think he's tough now, just wait until you see his ability: by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard and paying 1000 life-points, he gets 1000 ATK for this turn (ATK: 3800). Big Saturn! Attack Absolute Zero with Anger Hammer!" one of the giant arms pulled back before speeding right down and smashing into Absolute Zero, shattering him into ice crystals.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 4250**

**Chumley/Jason: 6300**

"Absolute Zero's effect activates!" Jason said, "When it leaves the field, all of your monsters are destroyed!" sheets of ice began covering the army of machines before they were completely covered in blocks of ice. The shells shattered, all but the Big Saturn, who still remains frozen, yet several cracks shown with a hazardous lights.

Keith snickered, "Now you really done it. Whenever an opponent's card-effect destroys Big Saturn, it's original ATK points are taken out of our life-points!"

"Wait, does that mean…"

"That's right! You're about to have 2800 points blown straight out of your life-points! Go, Double Impact!" the Saturn exploded from the shell of ice, leaving shards flying everywhere. Both sides weathered out with all their strength against the impact.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 1450**

**Chumley/Jason: 3500**

"Sure it's a heavy price to pay but no big deal. 'Cause I activate Emergency Provisions! Now by sending both Light of Intervention and Second Coin Toss to the grave I get 2000 extra points!"

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 3450**

**Chumley/Jason: 3500**

"Finally I'll end my turn with two face-down cards." Keith concluded.

* * *

><p>"It's worse than last time!" Chakra said, "Not only did Saturn overwhelm Absolute Zero, it also took advantage of its destruction effect to trigger its own!"<p>

"Now Jason's down two powerful monsters," Jasmine added, "If you ask me, this duel is becoming more one-sided by the turn."

"Let's just watched the duel and see how its plays out." Aspen said.

* * *

><p>"Alright, it's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card.<p>

"And I activate my Thunder of Ruler trap card!" Keith opened one of his reverse-cards. "And with this card out you can't enter your battle-phase this turn!"

Chumley groaned, "Then I end my turn."

"My turn…" Noire drew her next card, "I summon (8) Machina Soldier(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1500) in ATK mode…" a green shoulder-like robot appeared with a blade as its right hand (ATK: 1600), "…and since there are no other monsters on this side of the field, I can also summon another Machina monster from my hand…" another humanoid robot appeared, this one with a light-brown surface and missile launcher on its right shoulder (ATK: 1800), "…so I summon (9) Machina Sniper(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 800). And when this monster is on the field, no other monsters besides it can be attacked. Finally, I end my turn with a face-down…"

* * *

><p>"Just as I thought…" Bastion muttered.<p>

"Please don't finish that sentence," Alexis scolded, "I know what Noire has out."

"What you know about those monsters?" Jaden asked.

"Only that they supposed to hold the strongest machine monster of all. I just hope for their sake that don't have to see it."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'Good card! With this I can end this duel quickly! But first thing's first…' "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization back into my hand! Next I summon Elemental Hero Stratos from my hand!" the jetpack-equipped hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And when he's summoned, I can add another Elemental Hero from my hand!" Jason searched his deck for another monster and shuffled it afterwards, "Next, I activate Polymerization!" Stratos flew towards the green-and-orange vortex along with Woodsman, "By fusing Elemental Hero Stratos with Elemental Hero Woodsman from my hand and special-summon…" a flare of light shown from the center of the vortex before…it dissipated, leaving both monsters in their current position, "What just happened? Where's Great Tornado?!"<p>

Keith snickered, "Oh, is what who you're aiming for? Well sorry to disappoint but I don't think you can summon a monster that's not even in your fusion-deck. Here's what I'm taking about!" he revealed his second reverse-card, "My trap Success Probability 0%! I activated it to counter your fusion card! It sends two monsters from your fusion-deck at random. And I guess one of them just happened to be that Great Tornado you're talking about!" the fusion deck section or Jason's duel-disk open and spat out two cards. Jason stood agape as he watched both Elemental Heroes The Shining and Great Tornado floated to the ground.

* * *

><p>"First Gaia, then Absolute Zero, then Great Tornado and the Shining!" Mindy gasped, "He's picking off Jason's fusion-monsters!"<p>

"The only one he's got left now is Nova Master," Chakra said, "and I don't think he'd last if Keith pulls out one giant machine after another."

"Then I guess that settles it," Jasmine huffed, "Let's face it, there's no way those two can get out of this mess, especially when Jason's running out of monsters to use."

* * *

><p>'Okay, don't panic!' Jason tried to tell himself, 'There's still one way to beat him. His field doesn't have any monsters on it. So if I can attack…' "I switch Woodsman to ATK mode!" Woodsman stood up with Kunai with Chain ready (ATK: 1500), "And with no monsters on Keith's field, I'll have both monsters attack you directly!"<p>

Keith smirked, "You fell for it! Activate trap card, Call of the Haunted!" a fog of smoke blasted out from underneath, cutting off the heroes' path towards Keith, "You know what it does, right? It lets me summon a monster back from the graveyard in ATK mode. And this is one machine that'll really give you something to be scared about!" a colossal mass of dark-red metal rose. It appeared to be made to be a giant metal automobile as the roar of an engine can be heard and smoke plumed out from the exhaust pipes from its shoulders. The two heroes stood guard as they took note of the giant blades on the machine's wrists, "This is my (6) Fiendish Engine Omega(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2000)!"

"With 2800 ATK points, this is one monster your heroes can't get pass!" Keith retorted, "Not even your Nova Master can stand up to this kind of horse power! You may as well just end your turn now!" Jason could only remain silent as he reluctantly nodded, "Thanks. Now I draw," Keith started his next turn, "Oh, and by the way, my Fiendish Engine can raise its ATK power by 1000! And I think I'll throw in a Black Pendant for an extra 500!" a small black pendant attached itself onto the machine. The Fiendish Engine could feel its dark powers surging as it exhaled more black fumes at a faster rate than before (ATK: 4300), "Fiendish Engine Omega, attack the Woodsman!" Fiendish Engine brought down its giant blade onto the elemental hero. Woodsman defense with the kunai proved useless as its was instantly crushed by the weight.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 3450**

**Chumley/Jason: 700**

"During the end-phase, however, my Fiendish Engine's destroyed whenever it's overclocked with his ability; but I'm planning to send 'im off in a different way… Hey Noire, mind doing the honors?"

Noire pressed a button on her duel-disk and her reverse-card opened, "Activate Mystic Wok…"

"Look familiar!" Keith said, "By sacrificing a monster, I can add either its ATK or DEF to my life-points! But you already knew that since you played it not too long ago."

"Wait, how'd you know that?" Chumley asked accusingly.

"Lucky guess…?" Keith shrugged as the Fiendish Engine vanished, "And one more thing. When Black Pendant leaves the field, it deals 500 points of direct damage!" the pendant left over began releasing a dangerous amount of dark energy which struck hard against Jason and Chumley, both Slifer's crying out from the pain the surprise attack dealt.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 7750**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"That oughta be enough for this turn." Keith concluded.

* * *

><p>"First Saturn and now Fiendish Engine?! That deck must be full of powerful machines!" Mindy said.<p>

"He didn't get the nickname 'Bandit' for nothing!" Rock said, "Remember, he makes a living winning powerful cards like that!"

"And he knows how to counter Jason and Chumley's usual strategies," Chakra added, "…It's almost like he knew exactly what they'll play before they even play it."

Jasmine raised an eyebrow, "What are you suggesting, that he's somehow cheating?"

"I don't think that's the case," Aspen joined the conversation, "Take note that Machina Armored Unit Keith used to keep the field occupied belongs to Noire, just as it was her Mystik Wok spell aided Keith to avoid Fiendish Engine's destruction without cause. Remember, no one's supposed to share any advice or pre-played cards in this duel."

"I'm not quite following you…" Mindy said, confused.

"You're saying their strategy's been coached before this duel started…" Chakra deducted.

Aspen nodded, "And Keith was probably here ahead of time watching Jason and Chumley duel, trying to find a way to dispose either's strategies for when he faces them himself."

"And there's no doubt Noire was watching on the stands!" Rock added, "She must be in on it, too!"

"Then ther's no doubt about it; Noire and Bandit Keith played their cards perfectly," Jasmine said, "There's no way those two could stand against a team like that."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn…" Chumley drew his next card, 'I could have my monsters attack Keith's field, Jason's already open for those machina things! There's not much I can do except…' "I activate my trap card, Good Goblin House Keeping!" Chumley revealed one of his reverse-cards and drew one card, "This lets me draw a card as long as I send one from my hand to the bottom of my deck!" he removed one of the cards from his hand to the bottom of his dueling deck, 'What luck! This could give is the boost we need!' "Now I place one card face-down and end my turn!"<p>

"My turn…" Noire drew her next card.

"I activate the trap card Threatening Roar!" Chumley quickly opened his reverse-card, in which a massive shockwave emanated from it, "Which means you can't attack this turn!"

"I summon (10) Machina Defender(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1800) in DEF mode…" a short blue tank-like machine appeared with a pair of large rocket launchers on the shoulders (DEF: 1800), "I place one card face-down and end my turn…"

'At least this one doesn't have high ATK points. But what good could that do…' Jason thought and looked over his only card in his hand, 'Even if I summon Lady Heat in DEF mode, and manage to deal some damage after that, that still won't be enough if I can't properly protect my life-points from those machines. There's one monster I can use but I got pretty bad odds of drawing it. If only I have the same talent at drawing cards as Chumley…' his worrying eyes wandered over to his partner, who beat him to it with his own. It seems that Jason couldn't hide his anxiety, no matter how subtle, if Chumley knew. Surprisingly, Chumley just smiled and gave a thumbs-up, 'I don't know what that meant just now but I think he's trying to say that he's got faith in me…' Jason looked back down at his deck, 'It's no good just standing here, then. Whatever card I draw I'd better make this next move count!'

"Jason Hutchins!" Anais stamped the floor with her staff, "If you do not make a move in the next 15 seconds you and your partner will be disqualified!"

"Oh! Right! It's my turn!" Jason quickly drew his next card. When he got a good like at it… 'Wait, this is…'

_Flashback..._

_"Oh, while I'm at it..." he took his cards back and and looked into it, until he picked one out, presenting it to Jason, "You can have this one. It's not really my style but maybe you can make better use of it."_

_"Uh..." Jason took the card from the man, Thank you."_

_...End Flashback._

'I could really use this right now. I just need to give something first...'

"I activate my trap card!" Chumley chimed, opening his second Good Goblin Housekeeping card, "And just like how I used it to draw a card, this time I'll let Jason use the same effect, just as long a he returns a card from his hand to the bottom of his deck!"

"Really? You're giving me another draw?!" Jason asked.

Chumley nodded, "Yeah, and not only that, you can also draw for every of the same card in my graveyard! So with one extra Good Goblin Housekeeping, you get yet another draw!"

"I'll take it! Thanks!" the thanks was a bit hasty but Jason knew about the time limit he's under. So he drew his next two cards, and right then and there he found what he needed as he put Lady Heat to the bottom of his deck, "I activate the magic card, A Hero Lives! By paying half our life-points, I can summon Elemental Hero Ocean straight from my deck!" the merman hero appeared in DEF position (DEF: 1200), "Chumley, could I borrow a monster from you…?"

"Go for it!"

"Okay, I sacrifice one of Chumley's Nimble Momonga's, so I can summon (14) Millennium Shield(5/ATK: 0/DEF: 3000)!" one of the small flying squirrels vanished from Chumley's field before a giant red slab in golden frame rose to Jason's. It indeed looks like a shield with a golden eye in the center (DEF: 3000).

'Millennium Shield?! How did a punk like him get a card that rare?' Keith gritted his teeth, but for a moment before smirking, 'No matter. It's nothing compared for what's heading their way.'

* * *

><p>"Millennium Shield?!" Chazz snapped, "That's supposed to be an impossible-to-find monster! How did it get in the hands of some Slifer Slacker?!"<p>

"Interesting. I wonder how the Bandit would do against a monster with 3000 DEF points…" Calypso mused.

"And why are you still here?!"

* * *

><p>"Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn." A reverse-card appeared.<p>

"Good. It's my turn, now," Keith drew his next card, "I think I'll lay this monster down in DEF mode." A set monster appeared as Keith snickered to himself, 'With this out I won't have to life a finger. Once a monster touches it it's all over…'

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Monster Reincarnation! By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can add a monster from the graveyard to my hand!" Chumley discarded his only hand, "After that, I summon Des Kangaroo back to the field in DEF mode!" the boxing kangaroo returned to the field in a defensive stance (DEF: 1700), "That ends my turn!"

"My turn…" Noire drew her next card.

"What's she waiting for? Isn't she gonna make a move or something?" Chumley wondered aloud. Even Jason agreed. He couldn't see Noire's expression past the light reflecting from her glasses, as he wondered what's so interesting in what she have.

Then there's now a smile. That confirms it, "I have the final piece right here," she spoke briskly, "This match is officially over."

"Lay it down kid!" Keith insisted, "Show 'em the true meaning of the phrase 'Heavy Metal'!"

"I summon (11) Commander Covington(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 600) in ATK mode!" yet another humanoid robot appeared in rusty red metal. It stood tall and saluted as it lead the three Machinas behind it (ATK: 1000).

"This is what it's all bout?" Chumley questioned, "It only has 1000 ATK points!"

Jason is confused as well, not of Noire's new machine; that's the least of his worries. It's how Noire's acting just now. Before she appeared shy but now, there's no telling what she's thinking.

"You really have no idea of the danger in front of you, do you?" Noire scoffed, contrast to her timidity before, "My machine may not be the strongest in my arsenal, but need I remind you of the previous match with the Paradox Brothers?"

"Paradox Brothers…?" Jason thought back to that duel, and the first thing that came to mind was their, "Wait! Do those monsters go together?!"

"See for yourself! Commander Covington, give the order!" Covington spun around to the three other machines and held its arm out, signaling the three other Machina to jump off the floor and into the air. In midair, Machina Soldier's body split down the middle with the head separated on its own. Machina Defender separated into five pieces; its body, its feet and its rocket launchers. Machina Soldier folded its legs against its back and its helmet is removed as the other parts fly around it. Defender's body flipped upside-down and attached by the sides with the two Soldier's halves, the Defender's feet attached to the bottom of Soldier's. Defender's launchers fold out and attached to Sniper's shoulders, with the launchers themselves hung out as separate arms, and finally the Soldier's head landed over Sniper's. What landed onto the field with a loud crash is a combination of the three Machina (ATK: 4600), "Meet (12) Machina Force(10/ATK: 4600/DEF: 4100)!"

"4600?!" Chumley gasped, "How are we supposed to destroy that thing?!"

"That's the idea; you can't," Noire smirked, pushing in her glasses, "There's only a handful of monster of all of Duel Monsters that can outmatch him by strength alone. And now that you've been relieved of any possible method against future high-level monsters, there's no way to withstand this kind of firepower."

"It may cost me 1000 points to attack, but if you think you're safe with all those defense cards of yours, then you're in for a surprise. Machina Force, take aim!" the massive mech aimed both its rocket launchers it's handling as well as the ones on both its giant blue arms, Noire's reverse-card opening meanwhile, "I activate my face-down card, Swift Strike! It gives my monster 700 extra ATK points, as well as the ability to inflict damage regardless of what mode your monster's in!"

Machina Force: (ATK: 5300)

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 6750**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Sayonara, Slifers!" Noire stated as her tone becomes more aggressive, "Machina Force, attack Des Koala with Force Barrage!" on command Machina Force fired all of its rockets. They zeroed in on the kangaroo and enveloped it in a massive explosive.

**To Be Continued...**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Bowganian**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: During each of your Standby Phases: Inflict 600 damage to your opponent.**

**(2) KA-2 Des Scissors**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card destroys a monster and sends it to the Graveyard as a result of battle, inflict damage to your opponent's Life Points equal to the Level of the monster x 500 points.**

**(3) Barrel Dragon**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 2200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; toss a coin 3 times and destroy it if at least 2 of the results are Heads.**

**(4) Blowback Dragon**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2300/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Once per turn: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; toss a coin 3 times, and destroy that target if at least 2 of the results are Heads.**

**(5) The Big Saturn**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned from the hand or Deck. Once per turn: You can discard 1 card and pay 1000 Life Points; this card gains 1000 ATK until the End Phase. When this card in your possession is destroyed by your opponent's card effect and sent to your Graveyard: Both players take damage equal to this card's ATK in the Graveyard.**

**(6) Fiendish Engine Omega**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: During your End Phase: Special Summon 1 "Engine Token" (Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 1/ATK 200/DEF 200) in Attack Position. Once per turn: You can have this card gain 1000 ATK until the End Phase. During the End Phase, if this effect of this card was used: Destroy this card.**

**(7) Gatling Dragon**

**Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: "Barrel Dragon" + "Blowback Dragon"**

**Once per turn: You can toss a coin 3 times and destroy as many monsters on the field as possible, but not more than the number of Heads.**

**(8) Machina Soldier**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned while you control no other monsters: You can Special Summon 1 "Machina" monster from your hand, except "Machina Soldier".**

**(9) Machina Sniper**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: "Machina" monsters cannot be attacked, except "Machina Sniper".**

**(10) Machina Defender**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: FLIP: Add 1 "Commander Covington" from your Deck to your hand.**

**(11) Commander Covington**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 600)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: You can send 1 face-up "Machina Soldier", "Machina Sniper", and "Machina Defender" you control to the Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Machina Force" from your hand or Deck.**

**(12) Machina Force**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 10 (ATK: 4600/DEF: 4100)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by "Commander Covington", and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. You must pay 1000 Life Points to declare an attack with this card. You can send this face-up card you control to the Graveyard to target 1 "Machina Soldier", "Machina Sniper", and "Machina Defender" in your Graveyard; Special Summon those targets.**

**(13) Vampire Koala**

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent by battle with a monster: Gain LP equal to the battle damage inflicted.**

**(14) Millennium Shield**

**Stats: [Warrior] LV: 5 (ATK: 0/DEF: 3000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Text: A Millennium item, it's rumored to block any strong attack.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	15. Ultimatum Tag Team Trial:Metal Raiders 2

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**WARNING: If you're reading this first, go back to Chapter 13 to avoid spoilers!  
><strong>

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason and Calypso. Rock belongs to Gammatron and Aspen belongs to WrittenWhim.**

* * *

><p>Machina Force emptied its entire arsenal and sent it raining onto Des Kangaroo. What came after are clouds of fire and brimstone.<p>

Keith smirked, "That was too easy."

"…This duel is not over yet!"

"Say what…?" when the smoke cleared, the Des Kangaroo was surrounded by its fellow monsters, with the Millennium Shield on the front lines.

"I said, this duel isn't over. I activate my face-down card!" Jason pressed a button on his duel-disk and his reverse-card opened up.

"No way…! You set a trap for me?" Noire growled, hiding her rising anger behind the glasses' reflection.

Her partner, Keith, focused in on the new reverse-card, which he then responded with a gasp of his own, "WHAT?! That Slifer's got a Unity card?!"

"The card I placed face-down on my last turn was a quick-play magic card." Jason said. The card that was risen face-up depicts five young teenagers each putting one of their hands atop of one another. To those who have at least know the history of the game's greatest duelists, they may recognized at least one of the characters on the card.

* * *

><p>"That's one of the prize cards from the tournaments!" Jasmine gasped, turning to Chakra, "Did you give him that card, too?"<p>

Chakra shook her head, confused as Jasmine is, "This is the first I've ever seen him with it."

"Not me! I knew he got that card!" Rock snickered, "And all thanks to the world's best teacher!"

* * *

><p>Banner smiled, "Looks like my cards really did come in handy…" his fat cat mewled in reply.<p>

* * *

><p>"Unity puts all of the DEF points of the monsters on our side of the field into one single monster. And the monster I chose for it is Chumley's monster, Des Kangaroo (DEF: 6000)!"<p>

"You slackers! Now _my_ life-points go down!" Noire snapped.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 6250**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Life-points aren't the only thing you're gonna lose!" Chumley said, "Because you attacked Des Kangaroo, if its DEF are higher than your monster's attack, then that monster's destroyed right in the spot!" Des Kangaroo hopped over the monster perimeter and bounced towards Machina Force, "Des Kangaroo, destroy Machina Force with your special-ability! Go, Destruction Punch!" Des Kangaroo pulled back its gloved fist as far as it could. And when it jumped towards the machine, it swung forth with piston-like force and smashed right through, breaking the machine in two. The mess of mechs collapsed in on itself before it's destroyed in an explosion that followed after, "And with that, Machina Force is gonzo!"

* * *

><p>"Alright! Machina Force went straight to the scrapheap!" Jaden cheered.<p>

"They really did it…! They took out one of the strongest monsters in the game!" Bastion gasped.

"Somehow that didn't surprise me." Alexis said.

* * *

><p>"Hmhmhmhm…" Laughter cam be heard from Noire's corner.<p>

"Huh? What's so funny?!" Chumley asked.

"The joke's on you, big guy. You're already counting your chickens and this match isn't even close to being over yet," Noire snickered, fiddling with her glasses, "Do you really think that move makes any difference? All you did was spent yet another strategy. I wonder how many you have; but then again, we can't go around spilling our secrets."

"What are you taking about?" Jason couldn't help but question.

"Oh, don't worry about that. After all, I'm sure you'll run out of tricks soon. Hopefully in time for me to end this duel with a bang."

Just what is she planning? From what she's suggesting, Jason had better be careful, "It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate Elemental Hero Ocean's effect, and add to my hand a monster with 'Elemental Hero' in its name from my field or graveyard!" he added a card from his graveyard to his hand, "Next I'll summon that monster, Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "That ends my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Keith drew his next card, "But this is my fifth standby-phase since I played Card of Demise. So I gotta toss it in the graveyard," he slid his card into his graveyard slot, smirking all the while, "Oh well, there's always next round."

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, 'If Noire's gonna do what I think she's gonna do, then I can't risk attacking; even if there's a weak monster out on her field.' "I'll pass this turn!"

"My turn," Noire drew her next card, "First I switch Commander Covington to DEF mode. Next, I summon (9) Scrap Recycler(3/ATK: 900/DEF: 1200) on the DEF as well." A blocky brown robot with a large, empty canister at the top appeared (DEF: 1200), "And when it's summoned to the field, I can send a machine-type monster from my deck to the graveyard," Noire fished her deck for a monster that the slid into the graveyard slot, "And Scrap Recycler has another special-ability: by adding two machine-type monsters in my graveyard to my deck, I can draw a new card. The catch is, they both have to be level-4 and earth-attribute. Fortunately, I have tons that fit that category!" Noire added Acrobat Monkey and Inpachi to her deck before shuffling and drawing afterwards. "I think I'll end my turn with a face-down, for now."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate both Woodsman's and Ocean's effects. Now I can add both a Polymerization card and an Elemental Hero monster from my graveyard to my hand," Jason added two cards from the graveyard, "Next I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Keith drew his next card, "Would you look at that. I just drew a Card of Sanctity," he activated it and all duelists drew to six cards, "Next up, I summon the monster known as (1) Cyber-Stein(2/ATK: 700/DEF: 500) in DEF mode!" a monster of what appeared to be a blue-skinned Frankenstein monster with a cannon on its left arm dressed in rags appeared (DEF: 500), "Now I activate its special-ability, by paying 5000 life-points!"

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 1250**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Now I can summon any fusion-monster that I got stocked in my deck. So welcome back, Gatling Dragon!" the three headed dragon machine returned (ATK: 2600), "And you remember from last time, right? I can destroy up to three monsters on your field!" the machine started whirring and then one of its mouths snapped open, "Only one, huh? Well that's no big deal. I'll just use it on that Nimble Momonga!" Gatling Dragon fired away and destroyed Nimble Momonga, "Now for the main event! Gatling Dragon, attack Elemental Hero Ocean!" Gatling Dragon unleashed a triple barrage that tore through Ocean. "Finally I place two cards face-down. Your move."

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew has next card, "First I set one monster in DEF mode! Next, I activate the spell Polymerization! By fusing together Des Kangaroo from my field and Big Koala from my hand, I can bring out Master of Oz!" the green kangaroo merged with the blue koala and formed the giant green-furred marsupial boxer (ATK: 4200), "Master of Oz, attack Gatling Dragon with Outback Attack!"

"Not so fast! I had a trap out, remember? Go, Alter for Tribute!" Keith opened his reverse-card, "Now I sacrifice my Gatling Dragon and take his ATK points as my own!"

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 3850**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Fine! I'll just attack Cyber Stein, then!" Master of Oz crushed Cyber Stein. "I'll end my turn there."

"My turn!" Noire drew her next card, "I activate Scrap Recycler's special-ability and add Machina Sniper and Soldier back to my deck so that I can draw one more card!" she shuffled said two cards into her deck before drawing, "Next I summon (5) Machina Gearframe(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 0)!" an orange-and-silver humanoid robot appeared (ATK: 1800), "When this monster's summoned to the field, I can add one more Machina monster to my hand!" she fished another card from her deck, "And with that done, I send six machine-type monsters from my hand to the graveyard!"

"What? Why'd you do that?!" Chumley gasped.

"So then I can summon out this machine! Brace yourselves, this one's quite the showstopper! (6) Machina Cannon(8/ATK: ?/DEF: 2200)!" a massive mass of metal rose to the field, a giant cannon mounted to the back of a robot's torso (?), "It works like this: my cannon takes 800 ATK points out of every monster discarded. And at this point there's six!"

Machina Cannon: (ATK: 4800)

"And that's not all. Remember Machina Gearframe? Well, it happens to be a union monster; which means I can equip it onto Machina Cannon for extra protection!" Gearframe folded its body into a battery-pack to be attached to the top base of the cannon.

"4800…" Jason muttered, "And I thought Master of Oz would be the strongest on the field…"

"Which makes it Machina Cannon's target of the day!" Noire said, grinning menacingly. Machina Cannon stood on its hand to aim its charging cannon directly at Master of Oz, "Machina Cannon, fire at will!" the cannon fired a massive ball of energy.

"I activate my trap card, Covering Fire!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "This adds the ATK points of another monster to the one being attacked during this turn! So Elemental Hero Woodsman gives his ATK points to Master of Oz!"

Master of Oz: (ATK: 5200)

With his new power, Master of Oz swatted away the attack, sending it falling back to its sender.

"I detach Gearframe and protect Machina Cannon from being destroyed!" a cape of energy covered the machine. The attack Cannon sent just fell over it.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 3450**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"So you managed to fend off another attack. Fine! I end my turn!" Noire concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Polymerization and fuse Elemental Hero Woodsman with Elemental Flash from my hand! With those I can summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two heroes merged into the armored earth hero (ATK: 2200), "Elemental Hero Gaia's effect activates: by cutting the ATK points of one monster on the field in half, Gaia's ATK increases by that same amount!" Gaia slammed into fist into the floor, sending forth a quaking blast that attacked Machina Cannon from below.

Machina Cannon: (ATK: 2400)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 4600)

"Now Gaia, attack Machina Cannon!" Gaia charged forth towards the cannon.

"Stop right there, I got another trap! Call of the Earthbound!" Keith activated his other reverse-card, "This redirects the target of your attack to my face-down card! And this is one you won't be destroying in battle! Go, (2) Blast Sphere(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1400)!" the set monster flipped open, releasing red clawed sphere that latched itself right onto Gaia's stomach, knocking him back out of enemy lines.

"You negated the attack…?" Jason thought.

"Not exactly. Blast Sphere's equipped to the monster it attacks when face-down. And during you next standby-phase, it'll self-destruct, giving direct damage off of your monster's attack!"

"Any thing else you'd like to try?" Keith snide. "'Cause this next round might be your last!"

"…I place 2 cards face-down," Jason concluded with two reverse-cards, "That's it."

Machina Cannon: (ATK: 4800)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 2200)

"That's it's right! Cause these machines are gonna keep on coming!" Keith drew his next card, "But first I'll be shutting off whatever new strategy you're thinking of, thanks to this: Prohibition!" a continuous-spell card cam to life.

"What's it do…?" Chumley wondered, worried.

"I'm glad you asked! It keeps you from playing any card I choose! All I gotta do is call it out and as long as this card's on the field, that card's off limits! And I think I'll be prohibiting Reverse Trap!"

"Reverse Trap?! But that's…" Jason went silent, fearing any share of information would force him and Chumley to forfeit the match.

"But why stop when two Prohibitions are better than one!" Keith played another prohibition card, "This time I'll be cutting off Spell-Shattering Arrow!"

'That's in my deck too!' Jason thought, 'How would he know what card to say that are in my deck…?'

"Now for a little defense. I'm summoning (3) Heavy-Mech Support Platform(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)!" a twin-barreled laser in the form of a mechanical platform appeared (DEF: 500), "Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "I summon Tree Otter to the field in DEF mode!" the grey-furred otter appeared (DEF: 100), "And thanks to his special-ability, I can give Master of Oz 1000 extra ATK points during this turn (ATK: 5200)! And that makes him strong enough to take on your Machina Cannon! Go, Outback Attack!" Master of Oz punched a hole into Machina Cannon and destroyed it.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 3050**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Do you think that makes any difference?" Noire taunted, "Remember, just two more turns to go until Blast sphere goes off, leaving nothing by 2200 points of damage for you! Are you sure that's all you're gonna do?"

Chumley groaned, "No. I end my turn."

"That's what I thought," Noire drew her next card, "I activate Scrap Recycler's effect and return Machina Defender and Gearframe!" she added the two cards before drawing from her deck, "Next, I summon (10) Kinetic Soldier(3/ATK: 1350/DEF: 1800) in ATK mode!" a blue-armored cyborg appeared (ATK: 1350), "And his special-ability more than makes up for his low ATK power; because he gets 2000 more ATK and DEF during a battle with a warrior-type monster!"

"But…" Jason looked over to his Millennium Shield and Gaia, 'All I have all warriors. And Gaia's still in ATK mode!"

"And there's more: by sending machines of level-8-or-higher from my hand, I can summon the (7) Machina Fortress(7/ATK: 2500/DEF: 1600) from my graveyard!" after Noire discarded a card, yet another, larger machine appeared in the form of a light-blue tank with flat arms on the sides and a head where the cockpit would be under, complete with a huge railgun attached at the backside (ATK: 2500).

* * *

><p>"That's quite the line-up," Aspen said, "Both those machines have enough power to take out Jason's Gaia as well as his life-points. And that's if she doesn't just let Blast Sphere do the job instead."<p>

* * *

><p>"Here's a thought: how about a little game during your final moments of this duel!" Noire taunted, "You'll have three chances to keep your life-points from reaching rock bottom. If you manage to last until the next main-phase, well…" Noire detached her glasses, giving her menacing glare she's been hiding, "you better hope you can survive! Kinetic Soldier attacks Elemental Hero Gaia!" Kinetic Soldier handled the shoulder-blaster and aimed it at Gaia.<p>

"I activate my face-down, Book of Moon!" Chumley revealed his reverse-card, "This card flips any monster to their face-down position, like Kinetic Soldier!" Kinetic Soldier vanished into its set position.

"The fun's not over yet! Time for Round 2! Machina Fortress, take Kinetic's place and attack Gaia!" the large railgun turned and pointed its barrel at Gaia.

"I activate my trap card, Shift!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "Now your attack is moved to a new target!" Machina Fortress' weapon fired a stream of energy that was swatted back, by Master of Oz who was switched places with Gaia, "Master of Oz, counterattack with Outback Attack!" the green marsupial smashed the machine flat with its gloved paws.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 1350**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Nice try, but Machina Fortress comes with a back-up ability. When it's destroyed in battle, I can destroy a monster in return! And I choose that overgrown furball Master of Oz!" the machine's weapon, somehow spared from the wreckage, fired on Master of Oz and destroyed the beast, Machina Fortress not far behind. "Alright, I'm ending my turn; and that's strike two," Noire concluded, "You have one more chance to save your life-points from being blown away! That's if you can last through the next standby-phase."

"Don't remind me," Chumley muttered, "That Blast Sphere's set to go off next turn…"

"And once his turn's up, you'll be taking 2200 points of damage!" Keith said, "Hate to break it to ya, but it's too late to do a thing about it."

* * *

><p>"I hate to say it, but he's right!" Mindy said, "Even I couldn't find a way out of this mess if I were him!"<p>

"The only card that could save him was Spell-Shattering Arrow," Chakra muttered under her breath, "But thanks to Prohibition, he can't use it even if he draws it!"

"Don't tell me…it's over?" Rock cursed.

"It's over, believe me," Jasmine confirmed, "This duel was over the moment those two stepped into the ring."

* * *

><p>"So what'll it be?" Noire sneered.<p>

"…"

"The longer you wait, the more likely you'll have to forfeit."

"…"

"The moment you draw, is the moment your life-points are wiped out!"

"…"

"Oh, if you draw, you're finished. If you don't draw, you forfeit!" Noire snickered, "Either way, it's over!"

"…I draw." Jason drew from his deck.

"And that's strike three! Your standby-phase starts now!" there was a sudden flash before the Blast Sphere exploded, brining forth a massive explosion that enveloped the alarmed Gaia and pushed the remaining monsters against the blast's radius, "Blammo! Ha!" she waited for the smoke to clear to see what remained of the monster. It finally did…

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 1350**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"What?!" Noire snapped, her arrogance wavering, "Blast Sphere's went off and Gaia's destroyed, but their life-points are still here?"

"This ain't right…" Keith couldn't help but mutter.

"Before Blast Sphere's effect activated, I activated the trap card Spiritual Earth Art-Kurogane." Jason explained, revealing his sole reverse-card. "So by sacrificing Elemental Hero Gaia, I can summon an earth-attribute monster from my graveyard, as long as it's level-4 or lower. And that's why I summoned my Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-limbed hero appeared a third time during this event (DEF: 2000).

* * *

><p>"Wait, Spiritual Earth Art?" Mindy wondered, "Aspen, don't you have a card like that?"<p>

Aspen nodded, "Sure did. And Jason's a quick learner by the way he used it."

"So he sacrificed Gaia before Blast Sphere's effect activated!" Chakra analyzed, "He didn't lose life-points because Blast Sphere went off without Gaia to take with it!"

"I was hoping Jason pulls out a miracle!" Rock snickered, "Show's what you know, huh, Jasmine?"

"We'll see how long that luck holds out…" Jasmine muttered under her breath.

* * *

><p>"And with Woodsman on my field, I can add Polymerization from my graveyard back to my hand!" he added the fusion card back from his graveyard, "Next, I summon (14) Homunculus the Alchemic Being(4ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600) in ATK mode!" a black-and-pink humanoid appeared (ATK: 1800), "Now I activate Polymerization and use Elemetnal Hero Woodsman with Homunculus the Alchemic Being, to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" Woodsman merged with the plant-like humanoid and formed the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "Nova Master, attack that platform!" Nova Master ignited its fists and struck through Heavy-Mech Support Platform. "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Keith drew his next card, "I summon (4) Twin-Barrel Dragon(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 200) in ATK mode!" a dinosaur-like machine with a derringer-shaped head appeared, standing on its hind legs (ATK: 1700), "And when this monster's summoned, it locks onto one of your monsters; then Twin-Barrel Dragon has a 25% chance of destroying it. So I think I'll set my sights on that face-down card!"

'I can't take that risk!' "I reveal my face-down card, Windstorm of Etaqua!" Jason opened his reverse-card, letting lose a massive maelstrom onto the playing field. "It changes the battle positions of every face-up monster on your field!"

Twin-Barrel Dragon: (DEF: 200)

Commander Covington: (ATK: 1000)

Scrap Recycler: (ATK: 900)

"Nice try. I guess you'd last another turn." Keith admitted and concluded his turn.

"It's my turn!" Chumley drew his next card, "And I activate Tree Otter's special-ability and increase it's ATK points by 1000 until the end of the turn (ATK: 2200)! Now I'll use him to attack Scrap Recycler and win this duel!" Tree Otter head-butted Scrap Recycler and destroyed it.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 50**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

"Since a machine monster's destroyed, Machina Armored Unit allows me to summon a weaker one from my deck, like (8) Machina Peacekeeper(2/ATK: 500/DEF: 400)!" a small, three-wheeled robot appeared on Noire's field (DEF: 400).

"I place one card face-down and end my turn, and Tree Otter's ATK points return to normal (ATK: 1200)."

"Now it's my turn!" Noire drew her next card. And like before, this one caught her attention, but first thing's first, "I activate the spell card Monster Reborn! Now I can revive a monster from the graveyard, the same monster I discarded for Machina Force! My favorite, most powerful monster in my deck!" the crystal ornament appeared before a flash of light was shadowed by a colossal form, which revealed itself as another machine. Only this one is more imposing than the previous ones, like those giant humanoid mechs from the cartoons around here. This one wore shoulder-broad white armor with parts of crimson red. This towering machine glared down at its aquired targets with its yellow eyes lit from the shadow under its red visor (ATK: 2700), "The (11) Perfect Machine King(8/ATK: 2700/DEF: 1500)!"

"How many of those giant machines are they gonna bring out?!" Chumley groaned.

"I have to thank you for lasting this long! I've been wondering if you're worth bringing out my Perfect Machine King, since he powers up by 500 ATK points for every other machine on the field!"

Perfect Machine King: (ATK: 3200)

"And don't even think about destroying this machine! I activate the Roll Out trap card!" Keith revealed his face-down card, "It takes a union-monster from the graveyard and equips it to a monster on the field! So by equipping my Heavy-Mech Support Platform onto Perfect Machine King, it gains 500 more ATK and DEF points!" the platform reappeared on the field before it suddenly changed shape, the back folding out while the front lasers folded down. After attaching to the larger machine, Perfect Machine King held onto the lasers and kicked its legs up, mimicking the pose of a newly-formed centaur (ATK: 3700/DEF: 2000).

'Oh no! If that thing hits us, we're done for!' Chumley grimaced, 'I guess I have no choice!' "I activate my face-down card, Taunt!" Chumley revealed his reverse-card, "This trap chooses the monster to target instead of the opponent's monster! So if you attack, your monster will have to attack my face-down monster! That is, if you wanna risk it!"

Noire scoffed, "That' the lousiest bluff I've ever heard! There's nothing you're hiding that can outmatch my Machine King! Attack!" The Perfect Machine King raised its foot and stomped down on the set monster. From the remains came a peach-colored kangaroo in boxing gear jumping across the machine's leg.

"You just attacked my Kangaroo Champ!" Chumley smirked, "And any monster it battles are changed to DEF mode!" Kangaroo Champ swung its gloved paw at the machine's head, knocking if off-balance (DEF: 2000).

"You got an answer for everything, don't you?!" Noire taunted, "Well let's see you find an answer for this: I activate the spell card, Transformation!" the moment she slapped the card on her duel-disk, light surged from it and enveloped her. It casted off and reveled yet another shell of white-and-red metal, this time as a heavy suit of armor in the form of Perfect Machine King, with Noire underneath.

* * *

><p>"Transformantion?!" Jaden gasped, "But that's Syrus' card!"<p>

"But how did it end up with Noire?!" Alexis questioned.

"She's got a lot of nerve! She has no right to do that!" Jasmine and Mindy was taken aback by Chakra's sudden outburst.

"I think you're getting a little too enthusiastic, Chakra." Jasmine said.

"Uh, there's something you need to know about that Transformastion card!" Rock said, "That card's not hers!"

"Give that Slifer a buscuit, he's right," everyone looked up over the stands and saw Xiki standing over them, "That's card's mine."

"That card belongs to Syrus," Chakra scolded, "And how you just gave it away is just plain dirty!"

"Am I missing something?" Jasmine questioned, "Where exactly did that card come from?"

"It originally belonged to Syrus but had it taken from him when he lost to her!"

"Loosen up, Chakra; I _won_ that card," Xiki said as she dropped to a seat over them, "It's mine now, so I decide what to do with it."

"So you decided to use it against Jason and Chumley?" Chakra spat, "That's why you gave it to Noire?!"

Xiki smirked, "Like I said, I decide what to do with it. And what better way to properly demonstrate its power than against a couple of Slifer Red rejects!"

Jasmine and Mindy stood aside, not knowing what to make of the situation. Aspen merely focused on the duel.

* * *

><p>Noire's cackling echoed as she felt Transformation's power surging.<p>

"If she's using Sy's card, then she can destroy any monster that attacks directly!" Chumley cursed. "But if we can somehow destroy it…"

"Knowing how a card works isn't the same as knowing how to stop it!" Noire said, "And if you thought I'd leave such a powerful card like Transformation vulnerable, guess what; you thought wrong! I activate the spell Magic Reflector!" an invisible barrier shimmered around Noire, "So if you even try to get rid of Transformation, you'll only get rid of my barrier instead! That's it for my turn!"

"Wait, you may be using Transformation, but Keith isn't!" Jason pointed out, "What's to say I won't have to attack him instead?"

"I may be the one holding Transformation, but you forget that Keith and I share the same life-points!" Noire rebutted, "I can just swoop in and block any attack you throw! Now are you gonna make your move? I wanna see this baby in action!" the machine duelist puffed her chest under the bulky armor.

Jason groaned and drew his next card, 'Of course she wouldn't leave her partner defenseless. But that Machine King is my biggest problem! I should at least make sure it won't be getting back up.' "I attack Perfect Machine King with Elemental Hero Nova Master!"

"Are you already forgetting about union-monster effects? Trying to destroy a monster will only destroy the union-monster attached to it!" Perfect Machine King stood its ground as it crossed its arms against Nova Master's flaming fists. The intense heat burned away the additional legs but left the machine itself unharmed.

Perfect Machine King: (ATK: 3200/DEF: 1500)

"You just wasted yet another attack!"

"I equip my Millennium Shield with the Scroll of Bewitchment magic card!" Jason continued, "This card changes the attribute of the monster it's equipped to. So Millennium Shield is changed to wind-attribute!" the shield's metal changed from red to an emerald-green. "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Keith drew his next card, "I activate Machina Peacekeeper's union-effect and equip it to Perfect Machine King!" Peacekeeper folded into a battery-pack and latched onto the large machine's chest, "Next I'll place this face-down and end my turn."

"Now it's my turn!" Chumley placed a hand on his duel-disk, 'I don't know how much more of this duel I can take! I have to finish what Jason started and destroy that Machine King!' "I draw!" he swiped the card from his deck and looked at it. Then he looked out into his field, putting a smile on his face, 'Yeah, this could work!' "I activate Fusion Recovery! This allows me to add one Polymerization and one fusion-material from my graveyard to my hand!" Chumley add the two cards, "Next, I activate the spell Polymerization and fuse Tree Otter from my field with Mystical Sheep #1 from my hand!" the black-woolen, blue-horned sheep appeared next to the otter, "By the way, Mystical Sheep's special-ability subs it for a fusion-material monster during a fusion-summon! And together, they form the monster known as, (13) Koalo-Koala(6/ATK: 2800/DEF: 200)!" the two beasts jumped into the vortex and mixed together. What came out in their place is a much larger koala with darkened fur and a white mustache, leaning on its thick, muscular arms. The beast growled and glared with its piercing red eyes (ATK: 2800), "And if you think he's scary now, wait 'til you see his special-ability! By sending a beast-type monster to the graveyard, Koalo-Koala can destroy one monster on your field! And I can do it as many times as there are monsters in my hand! So see you later, Big Koala…" Chumley discarded the other card returned with Fusion Recovery, and then pointed at the giant metal monster, "And say goodbye to you Perfect Machine King!"

"No, I think he'll stick around! I activate the trap card, Overwhelm!" Keith reveled his face-down counter-trap. "And it's all thanks to you activating your monster's effect!"

Koalo-Koala leap into the air towards Perfect Machine King, but the metal titan caught the beast in mid-air and tossed it back down to where it was, leaving Chumley confused, "But what happened?!"

"When you targeted my Perfect Machine King with your monster's special-ability, Overwhelm gives my monster a one-time-use ability of his own!" Noire explained, "And since it took two sacrifices to summon it, it not only negates your monster's effect, but destroys it outright! The panels on Perfect Machine King's shoulders opened, releasing several rockets launching out and rained down on Koalo-Koala, destroying the beast entirely!"

"My Koala!" Chumley gasped.

* * *

><p>"And to think I almost considered giving those Slifers any credit," Xiki scoffed, "Even a fusion monster that can destroy any other monster they still fell for Keith's trap."<p>

"This duel is far from over, Xiki." Chakra growled.

"Get your eyes check; there's no way those Slifers can win! With Transformation, they can destroy any monster that attacks them! And judging by their score, all it takes is one little push and there'll be two less slackers in Duel Academy!"

* * *

><p>"Hey, don't feel too bad! At least you brought out something that could've destroyed my best monster; not that it helped!" Noire laughed, "And now that you've blown your one shot at winning this it's time to finish this duel right here!" she started her turn, drawing her next card, "And to make sure I leave nothing out! I activate the spell Limiter Removal! This doubles up all machine-type monsters' ATK points!" overwhelming power flowed through Perfect Machine King as it doubled in size, becoming more of a titan than it was before.<p>

Perfect Machine King: (ATK: 5400)

"Here it comes! Perfect Machine King, attack!" Perfect Machine King sent a mighty metal fist flying towards Nova Master.

"I activate my trap card, Spiritual Wind Art-Miyabi!" when Jason opened his reverse-card, a huge gust of wind pushed back between Nova Master and the raging Machine King's advance. What can be seen in the eye of the cyclone was Millennium Shield. "By sacrificing a wind-attribute monster, one of your cards return to the bottom of your deck!" the storm thickened and erupted into a massive hurricane that pulled the mechanical menace inside. The tornado dissolved and left a huge and empty space where the Perfect Machine King and Millennium Shield used to be.

* * *

><p>"Did you see that?!" Rock gasped, "That Perfect Machine King left the field thanks to that defense card!"<p>

"I knew what he'd do when he gave his Millennium Shield that equip-card!" Chakra reviewed, "Even if he didn't have the right monster, he used Scroll of Bewitchment to make one suitable for Miyabi's trap card!"

"It's like no matter what's thrown his way, Jason manages to push back!" Mindy chimed giddily, "I don't know about you guys but this duel's getting me so excited! I can't wait for what happens next!"

Xiki scoffed, "Then you won't have to wait that long…"

* * *

><p>"So you managed to find your way around my Machine King's defense!" Noire scoffed, "But remember, removing a monster from the field destroys all equip-cards attached to it; that includes union-monsters! As for Machina Peacekeeper, I can add another union-monster from my deck to my hand!" she added another card to her hand, "But don't think that means I'll be throwing out another machine! No, I'm done having my monsters do the dirty work when this Transformation card's gonna work just fine!"<p>

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

"That's all you got, huh? I can do better!" Keith drew his next card, "And I just did! Activate Wave Motion Cannon! A loud hiss of steam was heard before a giant mounted barrel rose to the field from under a thick cloud of vapor. "So now, at the start of each of our turns, this bad boy charges up. And by sending it to the graveyard, for each round it went, you take 1000 points of damage! You guys put up a good fight, dodging and blocking all those machines, but I know for a fact that you can't outmaneuver a direct-damage assault! And trust me, I watched you duel! Even if you pull out a Mystik Wok I can just wait it out until my cannon's got enough charge to clean out your life-points in just one shot! Just face it; in just one more turn, you're through! Whaddaya say about that?!"

* * *

><p>"I say he's right on the money!" Xiki snickered with her hand resting behind her head, "That cannon is Keith's ticket to victory!"<p>

"But Chumley's next, right?" Rock asked, "He has something to get rid of that thing, right?!"

"I don't think that's possible at this point," Aspen said, "For what I gathered from Chumley's duel and this one, his specialty is raw attack and defense. Even if he draws another Des Koala, he has to wait until his next turn to flip it over for its effect."

"And it's too late to use Elemental Hero Lady Heat because she's sleeping at the bottom of Jason's deck!" Mindy added to the suspense, "He won't have a turn to draw it because that Wave Motion Cannon could fire on them next turn!"

"Then that's it. They're all out of moves," Jasmine bluntly implied, "All they can do now is get this round over with. No offense, Chakra, but your training is wasted on this Slifer."

Chakra did not bother to reply knowing the impossible odds as well, 'There is one more trick they can use. The have the one monster to win them this match. For Jason's sake, I really hope he's prepared for it.'

* * *

><p>"Then there's only thing left to do…" Jason said, "I have to get at your life-points first! And Nova Master is just the monster I need to do it!"<p>

"Ha! You must be joking!" Noire laughed, "Find a rulebook! You can't attack on your opponent's turn! And if you even try to attack, I'll just blow it out of the sky! But I'm feeling generous today!" she lift her heavy feet and moved from her spot at the corner to the border between player's fields, taking a stand in front of Jason and his monster, "Go ahead! I'm calling your bluff! If you got the guts then do it!"

"I never said I was gonna attack," Jason corrected, "It's like you said, I can't attack on my opponent's turn. That's what this trap card's for!" he pressed a button on his duel-disk and his reverse-card opened, "Activate Spiritual Fire Art-Hiita!"

* * *

><p>"WHAT?!" Xiki screeched, almost falling off her seat.<p>

"Now this could work." Aspen nodded.

* * *

><p>"What?! Where'd he get that card?!" Keith gasped, the gritted his teeth, 'Of course he had it, just like those other elemental cards he used!'<p>

"When Spiritual Fire Art activates, one of my fire-attribute monsters have to leave the field!" Jason explained, "but not before inflicting damage equal to its original ATK points!"

"So you're sacrificing you last monster just so you can… No! You can't!" Noire had just then realized the gravity of her situation.

"Elemental Hero Nova Master, combine with Spiritual Fire Art and attack!" just then the trap came to life and wrapped Nova Master in a cloak of fire.

"I'm not gonna let it end like this! Not like this!" the large panels on her shoulders opened and many upon many rockets rained down upon Nova Master, but the fiery shield discharged prematurely before they even got close. All it accomplished was a series of explosions that fed the flames. Noire felt herself stiff under her armor. After all she went through to set up her ultimate defense, its one weakness has been exposed.

With a swift wave of his arms Nova Master set loose a sea of flames that washed over the opponent's field. Noire had to put her guard up and look down from the raging inferno but that was her final mistake. Then next thing she knew was the armor suddenly shattering as a sudden unstoppable force blasted through her. That was Nova Master's last stand as he left the battlefield.

**Bandit Keith/Noire: 0**

**Chumley/Jason: 200**

It's finally over. After so many close calls and nail-biting suspense, this final tag-duel had come to a close. And Jason was finally able to breathe.

"We did it…" Jason sighed as his legs finally gave out, dropping him on his knees and then on his back. He stared at the sky laughing softly to himself. Chumley, in the meantime, sat on the floor as well, finally able to catch a breather.

"We did it…!" Chumley huffed, "We actually beat him!"

"I…I…Ay-yi-yi…" Bandit Keith was in a weary state as well, sitting on the floor with the Slifers, "Me, the #1 Card Professor…beaten by these…these kids!"

Noire, however, was already lying on her back, apparently in too much shock to acknowledge what's going on around her.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it…" Xiki's laid stiff on her seat with her mouth agape, "They actually won…!"<p>

Aspen nodded in agreement, "Who would've thought; Keith customized his cards to counter Jason's fusion monsters. Turns out Jason's last and least threatening fusion was his key to victory. Hm, irony."

* * *

><p>Anais wobbled to her knees, not even bothering to support herself with her staff, "This…I can't…"<p>

"It can't be!" Crowler backed from the stage and fell over, "How'd they win?! Not fair…"

Banner came over with his cat and knelt down, "How? Because of your superb teaching, of course. Oh wait, they're in my dorm." The cat mewled and replied with a lick on Crowler's face.

"THAT FURBALL JUST LICKED ME!" the obelisk headmaster screeched, "Does it have rabies?! Show me his papers! CALL THE POUND!"

"Great duel!" A voice said. Jason got up and saw Jaden climbing up the platform with Rock and Syrus. He didn't join in but sat up.

"We should thank Jason!" Rock said, "It's thanks to him that we did!"

"Hey, what about me?" Chumley asked, "I could've stopped that cannon if I wanna!"

"Um, right," Syrus said, unconvinced, "No offense, but it could've gone either way."

"Oh yeah? Check out the card I would've drawn!" Chumley showed a card to his friends. It's a monster card in the form of a wombat, "(12) Des Wombat(3/ATK: 1600/DEF: 0)! The perfect defense against damage effects!"

"A monster that blocks damage from effects? That's neat!" Rock said.

"But you're right, we got out of this with Jason's help! It's thanks to the cards he gave me that we managed win!" The celebration was interrupted by gruff laughter. The Slifers turned to see Bandit Keith just sitting there, laughing as if this was all some kind of twisted joke. "Uh, why is he laughing?"

"I don't like this!" Syrus whimpered, "I think he's getting desperate!"

Eventually, Keith managed to calm down for the moment, and glared at Jason, "Hey, you with the cowlick…" he wheezed, "You're Jason, right?" the Slifer nodded, "You actually did it. You beat the #1 Card Professor. That's considered a great honor; and that comes with a great reward. So here…" he unstrapped his duel-disk from his wrist and tossed the device over to Jason, who barely caught it.

"What's this…?" The Slifer asked, looking over the device.

Keith smirked, "You asked that at the start of the duel, remember? You know, the first and last person to beat me in my entire dueling was some wet-behind-the-ears rookie from the Bronx; and that was due to pure dumb luck. But you, you got mad dueling skills."

"Do you know what that means, Jason!?" Rock stated, "Bandit Keith's just gave you the baton! You're the top Card Professor!"

Jason felt a sudden case of the butterflies as he wrapped his mind over that fact, "Me?"

"The top pup's gotta be snipped sometime, but don't let it go to your head!" Keith said, "I'm counting on you to keep that duel-disk warm until I come back for it. I may be a nice guy but I'm not gonna take this loss sitting down! …Er, I probably should've said that while I was standing."

"I…I…" as it turns out, such a great position became a bit too much for Jason to process, and sat back down, "I don't know what to say…"

"'The more things change, the more they stay the same.' Try that!" Rock joked.

"Well, one thing that won't be changing, is your enrollment at the academy," the principal affirmed, "You're all here to stay!"

* * *

><p>Chazz snarled before getting up to leave, "I'm outta here."<p>

Calypso smirked as she watched the obelisk disappear. "Baby."

* * *

><p>Similar to Chazz, Aspen got up and stretched her stiff body, "I think I've seen enough for today. Whatever training you and he did really paid off, Chakra." She said as she left the three others at the stands. "I'll see you girls later."<p>

"You know, I didn't know what to make of that guy," Mindy said, referring to Jason, "But who knows. If he could beat Bandit Keith like that, I wonder how he'll do against Zane Truesdale!"

Chakra shrugged and smiled, "That's something to look forward to."

'Well I think this guy's getting too much credit,' Jasmine thought, 'I do admit I'm fairly impressed. But it's better if I see for myself what makes this Slifer so special to get Chakra's attention…'

* * *

><p>"Hey, over here!" the Slifers see Noire sitting up, no longer dazed. She gestured to them to come to her. As they wondered whom she's referring, Syrus took a guess and pointed to himself, in which Noire replied with a nod.<p>

"I, uh, think she wants to talk to you, Sy." Chumley said.

"I was afraid of that. Why me…?" Syrus whimpered and cautiously walked towards the machine duelist. When he was close enough she quickly stood up, causing the boy to sharply recoil.

"Calm down. I'm not gonna do anything to you. At least I don't feel like it," Noire said, "I just wanna give this back to you." She handed out a card.

"Wait! Is that…" Syrus was looking at the Transformation card.

"But I thought Xiki had that card!" Chumley said, "What's it doing with her?"

"Yeah, I've been needing to tell you; she gave Noire that card," Rock said.

"I ran into her in the halls and offered me a deal with that card," Noire said, "She said I could keep it to improve my deck but also that she expects it back if I won. I guess she's very confident that your friends wouldn't last."

"That's a weird deal." Jaden said, "And that's pretty generous of you, Noire. I mean, I figured you would've kept it."

"What can I say; I got a big heart," Noire smirked, "So are you gonna take it or not?"

"That's unacceptable!" Anais stepped forth with, "The rules here clearly states that obtaining others' cards as spoils is prohibited!"

"Then you should take up with an Obelisk Blue named Xiki Nomura!" Chumley firmly advised, "She took that card right out of Sy's deck when he lost to her and he didn't even want to give it up!"

"And we got eyewitnesses to prove it!" Jaden said, "I was one of them; and there's two girls from Obelisk Blue to back me up!"

"Is that so?" Anais examined audience, glaring straight at Xiki who suddenly felt her hardened gaze.

* * *

><p>"I don't need this. I'll be leaving." The obelisk girl jumped out of seat and ran out in a hurry.<p>

* * *

><p>"Fine. Considering the circumstances, if proven, I'll permit it; just this once."<p>

"Wow! Um…" Syrus retrieved the card from Noire. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Now if you don't mind, it's been a real long day," Noire brought out her glasses and put them back over her eyes. At that moment, she lost her arrogant smirk and replaced it with a more sincere smile. She turned that smile towards Jason. "I had a g-good time facing you, J-jason Hutchins."

"I…had a good time, too." Jason stammered, both flustered and confused.

"I sorry if I was mean to you before. It's kinda hard to control it focusing on dueling," Noire blushed. "B-but I guess it runs in the family; especially when you have the top Card Professor for an uncle and a teacher."

"It's okay… There's not really any harm done." Jason replied casually, unlike the other Slifers who left their jaws hanging.

"I guess I'll see you later, then…" with that, Noire turned and walked off the stage with her uncle by her side.

"Jason! Don't forget!" Keith called to the Slifer, "You better make sure to protect my title…in America!" in the last few seconds of his appearance, he gave a thumbs-up.

"But this is Japan, isn't it…?" Jason muttered, once again confused. But eventually his attention was turned to the sudden applaud around them.

Alexis, Bastion, everyone gave their standing ovation for the four Slifer Red students who put on a good show, in which Jaden replied with his usual two-finger salute to end this chapter.

"That's game!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Cyber-Stein**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 700/DEF: 500)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Pay 5000 Life Points. Special Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Fusion Deck to the field in Attack Position.**

**(2) Blast Spear**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1400)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: If this face-down Defense Position card was attacked by an opponent's monster, before damage calculation: Equip this card to the attacking monster. Then, during your opponent's next Standby Phase, destroy the monster this card is equipped to, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the destroyed monster's ATK on the field.**

**(3) Heavy-Mech Support Platform**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 500/DEF: 500)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Once per turn, you can either: Target 1 Machine-Type monster you control, equip this card to that target, OR: Unequip this card and Special Summon it in Attack Position. While equipped by this effect, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK and DEF. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.)**

**(4) Twin-Barrel Dragon**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card is Summoned: Target 1 card your opponent controls; toss a coin twice, and if the result is 2 Heads, destroy it.**

**(5) Machina Gearframe**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 "Machina" monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Machina Gearframe". Once per turn, you can either: Target 1 Machine-Type monster you control; equip this card to that target, OR: Unequip this card and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.)**

**(6) Machina Cannon**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: ?/DEF: 2200)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) by sending one or more Machine-Type monsters from your hand to the Graveyard. This card gains 800 ATK for each card sent to the Graveyard for this Special Summon.**

**(7) Machina Fortress**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: You can discard Machine-Type monster(s) whose total Levels equal 8 or more, then Special Summon this card (from your hand or Graveyard). When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: Target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target. Before resolving an opponent's monster effect that targets this face-up card, look at your opponent's hand and discard 1 card from their hand.**

**(8) Machina Peacekeeper**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 500/DEF: 400)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Union monster from your Deck to your hand. Once per turn, you can either: Target 1 Machine-Type monster you control; equip this card to that target, OR: Unequip this card and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. (A monster can only by equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead.)**

**(9) Scrap Recycler**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 900/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can send 1 Machine-Type monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. Once per turn: You can shuffle 2 Level 4 EARTH Machine-Type monsters from your Graveyard into the Deck; draw 1 card.**

**(10) Kinetic Soldier**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1350/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: If this card battles a Warrior-Type monster, during damage calculation: This card gains 2000 ATK and DEF during damage calculation only.**

**(11) Perfect Machine King**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2700/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: This card gains 500 ATK for each other Machine-Type monster on the field.**

**(12) Des Wombat**

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Any damage to you from a card effect becomes 0.**

**(13) Koalo-Koala**

**Stats: [Beast/Fusion/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2800/DEF: 200)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: "Sea Koala" + "Tree Otter"**

**You can send 1 Beast-Type monster from your hand to the Graveyard to target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy it.**

**(14) Homunculus, the Alchemic Being**

**Stats: [Plant/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: Once per turn, you can change the Attribute of this monster.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	16. Red vs Blue-Final Bout

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Yu-Gi-Oh! franchise or any of its characters except for Jason, Chakra and Calypso.**

* * *

><p>It's been near the end of the week since four students from the Slifer dorm played for the right to stay in school. The Paradox Brothers were thwarted when Syrus' courage merged Jaden and his combined efforts to overcome even their indestructible monster. And even though Jason and Chumley had drained their strategies and tactics fending off the combined overwhelming power of Bandit Keith and his niece Noire Kennedy and their massive army of machines; but Jason managed to draw together what little resources he had to finally breech their defense, regardless of their use of his friend Syrus' card Transformation. Not only did they secure his enrollment in the academy, and win back his friend's card, he was also given the title of the top Card Professor from Bandit Keith himself.<p>

But no prize comes without a price. Anais was so fixated on making an example of Jason that he gave him much more workload and stripped him of extracurricular activities. Now most of his free time is spent, like today at gym class. There he has to sort out the equipment the class set aside while everyone else got to play baseball; not that it'd matter him being out on the field anyway. He was never good at sports.

But then something strange happened. One minute he was picking up balls and the next he was beamed by one! Astoundingly it sent him flying into the open bundle of supplies, making an even bigger mess that there was when he got started. And to top it off, there was an eyewitness right nearby.

"I'm sure glad that wasn't me." Crowler whistled.

"Uh, heads up?" Jaden warned too late as he ran over with Syrus.

"Of course, who else would cause such intense pain?" Crowler muttered to himself.

The two Slifers dug away the supplies until they managed to pull dazed-out Jason out.

"Jaden, I think he may be a bit out of it!" Syrus warned.

"Man, I'm so sorry!" Jaden apologized, "It was—"

"My fault!" Bastion came up to them, "I was the one who hit the ball!"

Seeing Bastion, Crowler turned his back and thanked the heavens, "Of course! Here I was struggling to find a new accomplice and here it smacks me right in the face! Rather this than a baseball, but that's besides the point."

"Jason, I am really sorry!" Bastion apologized, "Please, let me take you to the nurse."

"Oh, don't worry about him!" Crowler suddenly interrupted, "I'm sure his friends can take care of him," he turned around to find the three Slifers still here, "Well, what are you waiting for?! He needs medical attention! Now shoo! Shoo! Shoo!"

"Uh, fine!" Jaden and Syrus carried the still-stunned Jason out of the gym, "That was foul, Bastion! Later!"

"Oh, never mind those three," Crowler continued his conversation with Bastion, "Slifer Slackers. It's time you started consorting with those more of your class, don't you think? It's time you starting consorting, with _me_."

* * *

><p>Jason was left at the nurse's office for the other two slifers to get to the next class. When he got the okay to leave he could hear the sound of roaring laughter form across the hallways, and through his good eye he could see an obelisk student sprinting past him shouting, "I WON'T BE A RA!"<p>

…Oh well, that's probably not his problem. Suddenly a ringing sounded from his pocket. He took out his PDA and opened his recent email. This one looks like a video recording, from Chakra no less.

"Hi, Jason. After classes are done can you meet me by the lake? I arranged another match for you so make sure to bring your duel-disk. I'll be looking forward to then."

'Why another duel? The disciplinary matches are over.' Jason thought. But he feels he'll get an answer when he gets there.

* * *

><p>But when he stopped by the lake later after school, he saw that he's the only one here. But if Chakra told him to come here, then where is she? "Am I early or something…?"<p>

"I wouldn't say that." Jason jumped when he heard a certain someone's voice, and turned to see Jasmine coming from the direction of the girl's dorm, wearing a scowl.

"I…only came here because Chakra asked me," Jason tried to explain, "Do you know where she is?"

"I wouldn't worry about her," Jasmine said, "You came here for a duel, right?" she brought out her duel-disk, "Well, you found it."

"What!? You're my opponent?" Jason gasped.

"Do you see anyone else around? Don't tell me you're afraid, are you?" Jasmine teased.

"No! I mean, I'm not afraid! It's just, I mean…" Jason stammered until finally he gave up. Sighing, he replied, "Okay…"

Jasmine scoffed, "That's what I thought. Now let's get started." After inserting their decks, they activated their duel-disks.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I'll make the first move!" Jasmine initiated, "I summon (1) Birdface(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1600) in DEF mode!" a large golden avian appeared, wearing a blue armor plate. It landed and folded its wings in front of itself (DEF: 1600), "I place a card face-down and end my turn. Now let's see what you're made of!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his sixth card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode," the flaming hero appeared (ATK: 1600-1800), "Attack Birdman!" Heat ignited its fists and burnt away the avian.

"When Birdman's destroyed in battle, his special-ability gets activated!" Jasmine exclaimed as she fished through her deck for a card, "Then I can search my deck for a monster card and add it to my hand!"

"I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn." Two reverse-cards appeared.

"My turn!" Jasmine drew next card, "I activate the special-ability of Harpie Queen from my hand! Now by sending her to the graveyard, I can add a field-spell to my hand!" she fished her deck again and found her spell card, "Next, I activate that same field-spell straight from my hand: Harpies' Hunting Ground!"

"Harpies' Hunting Ground?" Jason repeated, "You mean like, Harpie Lady?"

"That's right. And you're about to meet her sooner that you think!" Jasmine summoned another monster, a female more humanoid than avian, with dark pink hair (ATK: 1300), "And with Harpies' Hunting Ground on the field, all winged-beast-type monsters gain 200 ATK and DEF points!"

Harpie Lady: (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600)

"Wait, where did those extra ATK points come from?" Jason asked as she noticed the discrepancy on the monster's stats, "Harpie Lady is a normal monster; and there's no other face-up cards on the field!"

Jasmine scoffed, "You must've missed that day in class, Jason. It's true that Harpie Lady is considered a normal-monster, but all that changed when her card gained more cards to support her with. This Harpie Lady for example: this one is modified to have a special-ability of her own; an ability that gives all wind-attribute monsters 300 extra ATK points!"

Jason looked towards his monster, "To the same as my monster." He mumbled.

"And that's not all. Show him what I mean, Harpie Lady!" the avian girl shot off into the sky and made a sharp dive towards Jason's field.

"Wait, why are you attacking?!" Jason gasped, "Both monsters have the same ATK points!"

"I'm not attacking! I'm just putting my field-spell to use! You see, when a Harpie Lady is summoned, I can destroy any spell or trap card on the field! And that obviously includes yours!" Harpie Lady brought her talon-equipped feet outwards as she landed ontop of one of Jason's reverse-cards, piercing through it and quickly retreated as it shattered.

"My Kunai with Chain…" Jason groaned.

"That's one way to keep you from countering my attack!" Jasmine chide, "Next, I activate the continuous-spell Hysteric Sign! Once it's active I can add a certain spell card from my deck to my hand!" she searched her deck once again for her card, "Now I activate the same card I added thanks to Hysteric Sign: the spell card Elegant Egotist!"

"I was afraid of that," Jason muttered, "Now that one Harpie Lady will turn into three!"

"If only I were that lucky!" Jasmine smirked, "But this spell card is a modified version. So when there's a Harpie Lady on my field, I can summon another Harpie Lady, or in this case, the (5) Harpie Lady Sisters(6/ATK: 1950/DEF: 2100)!" one Harpie Lady split into two. Then in a shroud of light, that one multiplied further into three. Now this Harpie Lady has two sisters, one with short orange hair and another with spiky blue hair. "And like sisters, they share the same the one ATK and DEF stats, making them one monster! And their power grow further with Harpie Lady and Harpies' Hunting Ground!"

Harpie Lady Sisters: (ATK: 2450/DEF: 2300)

"And they count as a Harpie card, too. So Harpies' Hunting Ground activates and destroys another one of your spell/trap cards!" the lead harpie swooped ready to strike Jason's last face-down.

"I activate the trap card, Waboku!" Jason played the card before Harpie Lady could get at it, blocking her path with a shield of robed maidens. "Now I can't take any damage and my monsters can't be destroyed for the rest of this turn!"

"You managed to save yourself this turn," Jasmine said, "But let's see how long you can keep it up! I place one card face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization! I fuse Elemental Hero Poison Rose and Elemental Hero Lady Heat from my hand to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two female heroes merged into the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "And when there's another Elemental Hero on the field, Elemental Hero Heat gains 200 more ATK points (ATK: 2000)! Now Nova Master attacks Harpie Lady Sisters!"

"I activate the Negate Attack trap card!" Jasmine revealed her reverse-card and a barrier pushed Nova Master back from her monsters. "And not only is your attack nullified, the battle-phase ends right then and there."

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." A reverse-card appeared.

"Then it's my turn!" Jasmine drew her next card, "I activate the spell Card of Demise, meaning I can draw until I have a total of five cards in my hand," she drew four more cards from her deck, "Next I activate the spell card Cost Down! By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, the levels of every monster in my hand are downgraded by two; which means I can sacrifice Harpie Lady to summon the now-level-five (6) Harpie's Pet Dragon(7/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2500)!" the harpie vanished and was replaced by a giant, salmon-scaled dragon (ATK: 2000).

"But that thing has 2000 ATK points!" Jason pointed out, "Wouldn't it make more sense to put it in DEF mode?"

"Did you really think I'd be dumb enough to summon a weaker monster against a powerful one?" Jasmine scoffed, "You have to learn to think at least two steps ahead if you wanna win. That's why I'm activating my trap card, Hysteric Party!" she opened her face-down continuous-trap card, "By discarding one card, I can summon as many Harpie Ladies as possible from my graveyard!" three streaks of light shot from Jasmine's duel-disk and landed on the field in the form of the three Harpie Lady sisters. "Look familiar? The only difference is they're three separate monsters, not just one. Say hello to Harpie Ladies (2) 1, (3) 2 and (4) 3(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1400)!"

"So they're three monsters instead of one?"

"That's what I just said! And Harpie's Pet Dragon gains 300 ATK and DEF points for ever Harpie Lady on my field, along with an extra 300 for Harpie Lady 1's ability!"

Harpie Lady 1: (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600)

Harpie Lady 2: (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600)

Harpie Lady 3: (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600)

Harpie's Pet Dragon: (ATK: 3200/DEF: 3200)

"And don't forget, since I summoned a Harpie Lady to the field, she destroys another one of your face-down cards!"

"I activate Reverse Trap!" Jason quickly opened his reverse-card, "Now your monsters lose ATK points instead of gaining ATK points!"

Harpie Lady 1: (ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)

Harpie Lady 2: (ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)

Harpie Lady 3: (ATK: 800/DEF: 1200)

Harpie Lady Sisters: (ATK: 1450/DEF: 1900)

Harpie's Pet Dragon: (ATK: 800/DEF: 1400)

"Aren't you forgetting Reverse Trap applies to all monsters on the field, including yours!" Jasmine stated.

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 1200)

"And if you think that trick's gonna work on me, then you thought wrong!" Jasmine took another card from her hand and played it, I activate the quick-play spell card, Swallow's Nest! By sacrificing one of my winged-beast monsters, I can summon another one with the same level from my deck! So take five, Harpie Lady!" Harpie Lady 1 disappeared, "And come forth (7) Sacred Crane(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 400), in ATK mode!" an elegant looking crane took the previous monster's place (ATK: 1400/DEF: 200). "When this monster is special-summoned, I can draw one more card from my deck. And with Harpie Lady 1 off the field, her special-ability is no longer applied, so my wind-attribute monsters get some of their ATK points back!"

Harpie Lady 2: (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1200)

Harpie Lady 3: (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1200)

Harpie Lady Sisters: (ATK: 1750/DEF: 1900)

Harpie's Pet Dragon: (ATK: 1400/DEF: 1400)

"And that's not all, I activate one more spell card, Triangle Ecstasy Spark! With this, the ATK power of my Harpie Lady Sisters becomes 2700!"

"But that won't work!" Jason warned, "My Reverse Trap is still active this turn and it reverses all increases and decreases!"

"That effect only applies to effects that add and subtract points. Triangle Ecstasy Spark modifies Harpies' ATK points a different way, jumping their original ATK all they way to 2700!"

Harpie Lady Sisters: (ATK: 2700/DEF: 1900)

"Harpie's Pet Dragon, attack Heat with Fearsome Fire Blast!" the dragon fired a stream of fire even hotter that Heat could endure and destroyed him.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 3800**

Jason shielded himself as one of his monsters were easily scorched away. And knowing his Nova Master was about to be next, he figures one of his worst fears are about to come to life.

"Harpie Lady Sisters, now it's your turn! Attack!" the three sisters hovered in a triangle formation. They each formed a ball of energy in their claws, and upon release a giant X appeared and pushed through Nova Master, destroying him as well.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 3700**

The Slifer's field now laid bare, nothing standing in the way of the remaining birds of prey.

"Is that it? Is that the best you can do?" Jasmine muttered under her breath, "Come on, Jason! What happened to that skill you showed a week ago?!" she sent Sacred Crane to attack, the white bird striking Jason with one of her wings as she flew past him.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 2300**

"I've seen you show much more talent while dueling against Bandit Keith so why can't you do the same against me?!" Harpie Lady 2 was up next and swiped Jason with her claws.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 1200**

"_Do_ you have any skill, or was it just by some stroke of luck that you even lasted _five minutes_?!" finally came Harpie Lady 3, who also used her claws to slash Jason.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 100**

After that many consecutive hits Jason stood as he witnessed the situation in front of him. Five monsters stand over him posed to strike again on the next turn. By then Reverse Trap's effect would be gone. What is he supposed to do then?

"I've seen enough…" Jasmine turned off her duel-disks and the monsters disappeared. The obelisk turned to leave.

"Wait, the duel's not over yet!" Jason called.

"I say it is," Jasmine huffed and stopped, not even bothering to turn around, "You have no monsters and no cards in your hand. And my dragon can destroy any monster you place on the field. Nothing you draw next would do you any good."

Putting that in mind Jason went and took out the next card he would've drawn.

"Even if you were to somehow pull out something that would render my monsters unable to attack, that'd be pointless, too." Jasmine glared at the slifer and showed a card over her shoulder to him, "Even if it were Swords of Revealing Light I could just use Mystical Space Typhoon I'd draw next turn to deal with that as well."

Jason has crestfallen; she was right.

"No matter what you would've done you would've lost anyway. It looks like I managed to prove Chakra how wrong she was."

"Chakra…? Wait, what does Chakra had to do with all this?"

"I guess I did forget to mention that to you. I don't know why, but Chakra's sees some sort of potential in you. But not that I've seen for myself, I know that it's all in her imagination. Do us all a favor, Jason. Stay in your league, and stay away from Chakra." After that intense scolding, Jasmine started to leave, leaving Jason alone to sulk on his knees.

"I don't think it's your decision to make Jasmine!" Chakra voice took them by surprise as she came out of hiding behind a nearby tree, "I figured you two can focus more on your duel if there were no spectators. Sorry for hiding." She came over and walked past Jasmine.

"You can't be serious," Jasmine huffed, "I don't know what it is about this guy but can do much better than him. You're an Obelisk. You should at least have standards like one!"

Chakra stopped and sighed exasperatedly, "You say it like he's my boyfriend or something," when she to close enough to Jason, she turned so she could establish eye contact with Jasmine, "Let me make one thing clear; who I'm with is my decision, not yours."

"Just tell me this: what is it about this Slifer that you find so special?"

"Jasmine, do not fight me on this," Chakra snapped, "I think you should leave now. There's something I need to talk to Jason about."

"…You know, sometimes I wonder if you know what you're doing." Feeling defeated, Jasmine left for the obelisk dorm alone.

With no one else around, Chakra bent down to meet Jason's level, "It's my fault I let this happened. I knew how Jasmine would react and I didn't do anything to stop her. I'm sorry, Jason."

"It…it's okay…" Jason mumbled, not daring to look up at the obelisk.

"Do you mind…if we can hang out for a while?"

* * *

><p>Later, Jason found himself sitting against the back wall at the Slifer dorm, with Chakra right next to him. It's lunchtime and the slifers have baloney sandwiches with a small bag of potato chips and a juice box. Even to Chakra, it's simple yet acceptable.<p>

"Is it alright if I ask what you need to talk to me about?" Jason asked.

"Hm?"

"You mentioned earlier that you needed to talk to me about something. Do you?"

"I did, didn't I? I've been meaning to talk to you about your deck, now that I'm sure you'll be staying."

"What about my deck?"

"I've seen you play so far, but I feel there's something you're missing. I think you haven't decided what your deck's theme should be."

"A theme?"

"Something that can make the deck you use your own. Let me ask you, what's the most common thing Jaden does when he duels?"

Jason stared away at space for a moment before he came up with an answer, "He uses fusion monsters, right?"

"That's right. And what's the most common thing Bandit Keith did when you dueled him?"

"Let's see…he tried to destroy my cards with effects that involved chance, but he also used cards to inflict extra damage to my life-points. Does that count?"

"That's right. And as for Noire, she can empower her machines with many spells and union cards. When a duelist has the right cards, they can make up their own theme."

"But what does it have to do dueling, exactly?"

"Sometimes studying the moves your opponent makes can let you get an idea of how their deck works and, if possible, find a way around their strategies to gain an advantage." Chakra explained.

"So if I can find some common factor in my deck, maybe that could make me a better duelist?"

"Who knows? By the way, I heard Bastion is having a promotion duel tomorrow. Do you want to come watch? You could learn a couple of things."

"I guess if it'll help me with my dueling…okay, I'll come."

"Good. And I'll come with you." Chakra smiled. Jason looked away and hid his blush; he's not really used to seeing a pretty smile like that. But their moment didn't last for long as she caught a few nearby slifer students peeking out from the corner, "Oh boy…" the obelisk sighed.

* * *

><p>Later that night, Jason was at the front of his night table with his cards splayed out in front of him. What Chakra told him earlier stuck to him and wondered what cards he think would work best in his deck. He has more than the minimum quota and he thinks it would be necessary to fine-tune it with the basic 40 cards.<p>

He thought back to most of the duels he was in, skipping to the end. When he first dueled Anais, he managed to get rid of what's left of her life-points with the Ookazi card; but he can't use that anymore for obvious reasons. In his first duel against Chazz, it was the first time he played his Elemental Hero Gaia where he defeated Chazz's most powerful monster combo.

In the exams where he faced Doctor Crowler, he got rid of that gadget dragon combo using Elemental Hero Great Tornado to cut down that 3000 ATK point dragon.

In one his more recent duels where he and Chumley faced Noire and Bandit Keith, he managed to get through with Elemental Hero Nova Master with the help of one of his new traps.

Next he went down to Elemental Hero Absolute Zero. He managed to get through his duels mostly thanks to him and his effect, which destroys all opposing monsters when it leaves the field.

His eyes then strayed to his Element Saurus. Jason thought of it as a special monster who gains abilities depending on the attribute of whatever monster he has out.

Finally he spotted his Millennium Shield card. He never had a card in his deck before he came here with a DEF power of 3000. Usually he had to rely on Woodsman or Gaia for defense.

Feeling tired, Jason put away his deck and went on to bed.

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, Calypso can be seen walking from the forest, the sky getting close to daybreak. But why is she wandering there in the first place…?<p>

"Ugh, having to spend night after night like this is such a chore," Calypso groaned, "But because of our little scuffle I lost a few certain valuables. So the sooner I can recover them the better," but as she made it to the path leading to the slifer dorm, she caught someone running off from a different direction; that made Calypso curious, "Someone sneaking out after dark…? This could be interesting…"

* * *

><p>Jason woke up to find it was late in the morning. Knowing that the duel would start soon, he quickly got dressed and ran out of his room. Not far from his dorm he stopped at the crossroads when he saw Chakra running from his direction.<p>

"I was just looking for you." Chakra greeted, although not at all kindly as she used to be.

"I'm sorry, I overslept…" Jason knelt over, catching his breath. "I hope I don't miss the duel."

"I think that's the problem. I found something I think you should look at. Come on." Before Jason could ask for an explanation, Chakra pulled him back the direction she came from, to the pier. There at the edge of the water, he saw a whole bunch of cards floating around, no doubt irreparably waterlogged. "I found them when I came a while ago, but I didn't know what to make of then."

"But that could this mean?" Jason wondered.

"It means Bastion was sabotaged so he wouldn't be able to duel," Chakra answered, "It makes sense, but to go this far…"

Jason stood silent for a moment, a stern look replaced on his face, before he could reply, "The opponent, who is it?"

"You can see for yourself when we meet him. We're going to the arena…"

* * *

><p>They managed to reach the central arena just in time to meet up with Jaden, Syrus and Bastion as they enter the stadium together.<p>

"Bastion, you made it…" Crowler, who's waiting on the stage greeted the yellow student; but then frowned when he saw who accompanied him, "Oh…and I see you brought some friends."

"I hope you duel better than the company you keep." Bastion's opponent smirked.

"Wait a sec! Chazz is your opponent?!" Jaden gasped, along with everyone else. He turned to Bastion, "Then he must've been the one who tossed your cards."

"Pardon?!" Crolwer exclaimed.

"I don't know what he's talking about, Dr. Crowler," Chazz said, "I didn't do a thing."

"Is that so!" everyone turned to see Alexis and Zane coming from the entrance, "I saw you, Chazz, this morning by the docks. You dumped them in and ran off!" Chazz's confidence went out with Alexis is there to support Jaden's story, "I normally wouldn't snitch, but you don't mess with someone else's deck."

"Yeah, no joke!" Jaden added as he spun back towards Chazz, "That's low even for you, Chazz!"

"Aw, come on. Who's to say I wasn't throwing away my own cards?" Chazz protested, "I guess Bastion and I have similar decks, that's all."

"Liar!"

"No one calls me a liar!" Chazz shot back, "And no one calls me a thief!"

"I'd call you both," everyone looked up to the source of the new voice and spotted Calypso leaning over the stands overhead, with her book hanging from hand over the railing, "Sneaking out after curfew, and stealing someone else's possessions; cowards like you always take the easy way out."

"Hey, that's the girl that got transferred here a while back!" Jaden pointed out.

"You mean Jason's new roommate?" Syrus blinked.

'Calypso? What's she doing here…?' Jason wondered, nervous and silent.

"What did you just say?!" Chazz spat back, "Why don't you jump down from there and repeat that?!"

"Hm?" Calypso mordantly cupped her ear with her free hand, "Is that a challenge I hear?"

"If you want a duel then we can settle it here!" Chazz smirked, "You're not scared, are you?"

"You really are spoiled, aren't you? Fine…" Calypso jumped over the rails and landed onto the floor, walking towards the stadium, "I suppose I'll humor you for a while."

"Doctor Crowler, you mind if I warm up on the new girl, first?" Chazz asked.

"Yes, 'Doctor'. After all, I never got a practical exam since I got here," Calypso smirked as she reached the steps, "I don't want anyone to think I only came here on a bribe, do we? In fact why don't we make this interesting…" she held up three fingers, "Three turns; that's all I need. Otherwise, I'll be glad to leave Duel Academy."

'Is this girl serious?!' Crolwer gritted her teeth, 'Does she really think she can out-duel one of my best students? On the other hand, I could use this chance to knock that brat down a peg. And this is Chazz's last chance to prove himself.' "Alright fine. But the stakes will remain the same. I suggest you remember, Chazz."

"No problem," Chazz jeered, "This won't be hard at all."

"I'm not liking this…" Chakra muttered, and turned to Bastion, "Bastion, hurry and give her your duel-disk!" Bastion gave a questioning expression but removed his duel-disk from his person, "Calypso, if you want a duel, then you need a proper duel-disk to make it a fair fight!"

Calyso groaned, but agreed, "Fine. Not like it'd make much of a difference, anyway."

"That's about the only sensible thing you ever said," Chazz scoffed, "Let's see you take on an obelisk without your little tricks!"

"No tricks needed," Calypso said, strapping on her given duel-disk and slotting in her deck, "I would be a waste of my talents on someone as small as you."

"You're gonna be eating those words!" Chazz activated his duel-disk, as did Calypso, "Let's get on with it!"

"I suppose so…"

**Calypso: 4000**

**Chazz: 4000**

"Tell me, Jason," Bastion requested, "About this roommate of yours, is it true that she was able to intimidate a large group of Obelisk students with some form of illusion?"

"I…wouldn't know about that…" Jason turned his face away, 'Maybe because that might not be an illusion. I just hope no one has to find out today…"

"Hope you're ready, 'cause here comes the hurt!" Chazz drew his starting hand, "I summon Chthonian Soldier!" the dark-armored soldier appeared (ATK: 1200), "And a card face-down, and that'll do it for now."

"Jason, remember why we're here in the first place," Chakra whispered to the slifer, "Pay attention to a duelist's deck and analyze it." Jason nodded silently.

"My turn," Calypso drew her next card, "I summon (8) Dark Jeroid to the field in ATK position," a gruesome centaur-like creature appeared with multiple arms, standing on four of them (ATK: 1200), "And when summoned to the field, one of your monsters have 800 snuffed out of their ATK points…" the face under its belly opened its mouth and spewed a black smoke out that covered the field. Chthonian Soldier doubled over as it choked on the fog (ATK: 400), "Which makes it weak enough for me to kill! Attack!" Jeroid lunged towards the soldier and ripped into it using its sharp arms.

"Thanks, you just activated my Chthonian Soldier's special-ability," Chazz said, "It causes you to take the same amount of damage to your life-points as I did!"

**Calypso: 3200**

**Chazz: 3200**

"Just as I thought, you won't be satisfied unless you drag someone down with you." Calypso retorted.

Chazz scoffed, "That's rich coming from someone who duel with a bunch of freaks in her deck!"

"You say it like it's a bad thing," Calypso chuckled and played another card, "I activate the spell card, The Dark Door. Then I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "That ends my turn."

"So you wanna take the slow and painful route…" Chazz drew his next card, "That's fine by me. I activate my trap card Call of the Haunted! With it I summon a monster from my graveyard. And the monster I summon is…that's right, Chthonian Soldier!" the continuous-trap card brought back the soldier (ATK: 1200), "Next I activate the spell card Inferno Reckless Summon. It allows us to summon, in ATK mode, any monsters from our deck, hand and graveyard, that are the same a the monsters we already have on the field." In a stroke of lightning, one soldier became three (ATK: 1200x2). They lines up side-by-side against the lone fiend.

"And all I have is the one Dark Jeroid," Calypso whined cynically, "Three on one hardly seems fair."

"You're just mad because I have a better-tuned deck than yours. I activate the equip-spell, Chthonian Alliance! The monster equipped with this card gains 800 ATK points for every monster that has the same name as him."

"He uses that same card when he and I dueled!" Jason gasped.

"I'm glad to see someone gets it! That goes to show how bad the situation is for you!" Chazz said as Cthonian Soldier roared as he tripled in size (ATL: 3600), "Now Chthonian Soldier, attack!" the soldier lift its sword and prepared to bring it down over Dark Jeroid, but one of the other soldiers dashed in and struck down the fiend in its place, sacrificing itself in the process, "What just happened?!" the obelisk gasped, "My strongest monster was supposed to be the one to attack what did you do?!"

"It's not what I did; it's what my spirit did," Calypso giggled, revealing her reverse-card, "My Dark Spirit of the Silent trap summon a spirit to take possession of one of your other monsters, forcing it to attack in place of your previous monster. And since both monsters had the same ATK points, there's no winner in this battle."

"So to put it simply, she canceled the stronger Chthonian Soldier's attack and forced one of the weaker ones to take its place, and all with just one trap card," Bastion reviewed, "And with The Dark Door on the field, Chazz has just used up his battle-phase. Whoever this new Slifer is, she apparently has what it takes to become a Ra Yellow."

'Trust me, we'd be better off if less people got to know her…' Chakra thought.

"So what! I still have two soldiers out! I can always wait next turn!"

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Calypso drew her next card, "I summon (9) Frontier Wiseman(3/ATK: 1600/DEF: 800),"an elderly man appeared wearing green academic robes, a golden crown, and a monocle on its left eye (ATK: 1600).

* * *

><p>"Strange…" Chakra muttered, though rather loud enough for those close to hear.<p>

"Huh? Strange how?" Jaden asked.

"With the deck Calypso uses, I figured she'd play another fiend card."

"But what does that have to do with the monster she has out?" Syrus asked.

"That's a good question, Syrus," Zane said.

"Let me tell you a little story," Calypso suggested, "Long ago there was a king who had an undying loyalty to God. But after losing everything, he then realized how empty that faith is and turned that loyalty over to the devil…"

"You see, Frontier Wiseman supports warrior-type monsters. If she's using a deck based on fiend-types like Chakra suggested, it would make little sense to put it in her deck. Unless…"

* * *

><p>"Is that your master plan, force me to listen in on a bunch of fairy tales?!" Chazz scoffed.<p>

"Oh, this isn't just some fairy tale…" suddenly, Calypso's wiseman doubled over, then became engulfed in darkened blood-red flames, "If you must know, this is my next move. I use (10) Possessed Dark Soul(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 800) to consume my chaste wiseman, through the process of Polymerization!" the wiseman roared in agony as not only his flesh was eaten away, but his body changed as well, "So gone is the pure, foolish king; and in his place became the impaler himself, (12) Dark Balter the Terrible(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1200)!" the flames died and from beneath came a monster beyond imagining. Under its dark-green furred cape, its fleshed was covered under a decorative shell of gold, spines covered along its wrists, thighs, and complete with a face-like chestplate that looks almost alive. It's face was a sight to avoid, as it stared down its prey with its beady green eyes while its smacked its teeth covered jaws. (ATK: 2000), "Now my monster, attack the weaker soldier!" Balter reached out and impaled Chthonian Soldier through the chest, before it shattered into pieces.

"Forget? You take the same damage from Chthonian Soldier as I do! Shows what you know!"

"Actually, Balter's ability negates the effect of every monster its slain."

"What?!"

**Calypso: 3200**

**Chazz: 2400**

"I activate the Card of Demise spell card. I'm sure you know what it does, right?" she drew a full hand of five cards, "That'll do for now."

"Will it? I wouldn't be so sure!" Chazz drew his next card, "It's time to do a little accessorizing! I activate the spell card Dark World Shackles!" a giant steel ball suddenly dropped down near Balter, latching a chained cuff on its ankle (ATK: 100), "As long as you monster's equipped with Darkworld Shackles, its ATK points stay at 100! Next I'm sacrificing my Chthonian Soldier and all the cards in my hand in order to summon (11) Infernal Incinerator(6/ATK: 2800/DEF: 1200)!" after the requirements the soldier was then surrounded in a rotating sphere of fire. Suddenly it burst open in a giant explosion, where a giant insect-like monster stood where the soldier used to be (ATK: 2800). Chazz cackled at his new monster towered over Balter, "And here's the best part: it gains 200 ATK points for every monster you have on the field! So thanks for the extra points (ATK: 3000)! Now Inferno Incinerator, attack with Fire Storm Blast!" the monster spat out a stream of fire that burnt the dark monster to ashes.

**Calypso: 300**

**Chazz: 2400**

"Now you see how obvious the difference in out dueling!" Chazz laughed, "I knew you're not so tough without your smoke and mirrors! Bet you wished you never made that bet, huh!"

* * *

><p>"I hate to admit it but Chazz is right," Alexis said, "He may talk a lot but his dueling skills back it up. She's gonna have a tough time on her hands with that Infernal Incinerator out."<p>

"Tough, yet not impossible," Bastion added, "The question is, can our new Slifer friend overcome this trial."

"If there's an answer, I'm sure we can find it. Isn't that right, Jason?" the Slifer turned from the duel to Chakra with a look of bewilderment, "So, have you learned anything from these last few turns? What can you analyze from Chazz's deck?" now it's the others' turn to become bewildered.

"Well…" Jason began, "I only saw him duel a few times with the deck he's using now. And there's three things I found that seem to be part of his strategy."

"Care to elaborate?"

"First I noticed he uses Cthonian Soldier to deal extra damage to the opponent. And when I first duel him that night at the lake he used a lot of Dummy Golems with their own trap card that inflicted a lot more damage."

"So he uses plenty of effect damage cards. Anything else?"

"He also uses equip-magic cards to not only make his monsters stronger, but also makes the opponent's monsters weaker. And lastly he summons powerful monsters with lots of ATK points."

"So to reiterate, Chazz's deck is created to modify the power of any monster he sees fit," Bastion reviewed, "And by equipping his defense with effect-damage cards, he could ensure not to let his opponents go unscathed after each battle."

"Basically he can attack from different angles," Zane added, "Finding a weak point in Chazz's deck strategy will be hard."

"What do you think Jason?" Chakra asked, "Can Calypso do anything at this point?"

"Chazz still has that giant monster out," Jason said, "If she can't go through it, then…"

* * *

><p>"It's my turn." Calypso drew her next card.<p>

"Just quit already," Chazz said, "There's no monster you got that can go up against my Infernal Incinerator."

"We'll see. I banish Dark Jeroid, Possessed Dark Soul and Dark Balter the Terrible in order to summon Dark Necrofear," in a plume of black smoke, the black-skinned fiend appeared (ATK: 700), "Next, I summon (13) Winged Minion(2/ATK: 700/DEF: 700) to the field," a blue-skinned winged demon appeared (ATK: 700), "And as such, my minion sacrifices itself so my Necrofear gains 700 points."

"Doesn't matter," Chazz replied, unfazed, "My monster's ATK points are still higher than yours."

Infernal Incinerator: (ATK: 3000)

Dark Necrofear: (ATK: 2900/DEF: 3500)

"Dark Necrofear, attack with Spirit Beam!" Necrofear's black eyes snapped wide as a flash of dark energy bathed over Infernal Incinerator. But the monster remained unfazed as it retaliated with a stream of fire that destroyed her.

**Calypso: 200**

**Chazz: 2400**

"What did I tell you!" Chazz laughed, "You just wasted another pointless attack! Better get ready to pack you bags!"

"Tell me, Chazz. I was wondering; what's it like…?"

"What are you blathering about now? What's what like?"

"To be so utterly, completely stupid."

"You think that's gonna get to me?" Chazz scoffed, "You're just being a sore loser! I bet you're gonna back down on our little deal! That'd be so like a Slifer!"

"I never back down on anything for as long as I remember. Maybe because I never lose."

"Look right in front of you I'm the only one with the monster! Your field is empty and you used up your battle-phase!"

"You might wanna take another look."

"What are you—" Chazz gazed back over at his monster, which was suddenly staring right back at him, "What gives!? Infernal Incinerator's my monster! It's supposed to be on my field!"

"And it's quite the monster you have, which is why I decided to make use of Dark Necrofear's ability," Calypso explained, "When it's destroyed it doesn't stay gone; instead its spirit lingers on the field looking for a new host. So thanks for your generous donation."

* * *

><p>"So by using Dark Necrofear's ability to take control Chazz's more powerful monster, Calypso planned to use his own power against him!" Bastion said, "This new addition to the Slifers is most crafty."<p>

"They do say that power corrupts," Alexis commented, "Or in this case power can be corrupted."

* * *

><p>"What are you waiting for, Infernal Incinerator? Attack your former master. Fire Storm Blast!" Infernal Incinerator fired one massive stream of fire, this time bathing it over the Obelisk.<p>

**Calypso: 200**

**Chazz: 0**

"Now you see the obvious gap between our skills." Calypso smirked.

"Pure luck!" Chazz spat, "You drew a few lucky cards an stumbled into the wind! That's all!"

"It's better to be lucky than good. But then again I never needed luck to begin with. You can muster up all the power you have in your entire dueling deck, but it won't matter against a deck like mine."

"You're getting too full of yourself! And I'm getting sick of it!"

"Of course, deny as much as you like; just as you deny throwing that Ra Yellow's deck into the ocean."

"Yeah? Prove it!"

"Allow me to," Bastion stepped up to the stage beside Calypso, and pulled out a card from his pocket, "Here, a card I fished out, with a formula that I wrote on it. Of course, you could've wrote it, but the math would be wrong; and it's not," upon closer inspection, the card indeed has a few scribbles written in pen on it, "Chazz, you stole, you lied, you cheated, you lost. You deserved the humiliation you were given."

Defeated, Chazz fell to his knees, "I can't believe it. How do I keep losing to these slifers…!?"

"Calypso," Bastion turned his attention towards the dark-haired Slifer, "I want to say it was a pleasure watching you duel. You've more that earned your place in Obelisk Blue."

"Of course I have," Calypso scoffed and stepped off the stage, passing the small audience and walked out of the stadium.

"You know, it's funny…" Chakra murmured, "Calypso may be considered the greater of two evils, but I was kind of hoping she would win."

"It looks like we'll have another talented duelist in Obelisk Blue." Zane commented.

"I'm not so sure about that," Alexis replied, "I don't think even Obelisk Blue's ready for her kind of talent…"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<br>**

**(1) Birdface**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1600 DEF/1600**

**Attribute: WIND**  
><strong>Effect: <strong>W**hen this card is sent to the Graveyard as a result of battle, you can add 1 "Harpie Lady" from your Deck to your hand. Then shuffle your Deck.**

**(2) Harpie Lady 1**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1300 DEF/1400**

**Attribute: WIND**  
><strong>Effect:<strong> **This card's name is always treated as "Harpie Lady". All WIND monsters gain 300 ATK.**

**(3) Harpie Lady 2**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1300 DEF/1400**

**Attribute: WIND**  
><strong>Effect:<strong> **This card's name is always treated as "Harpie Lady". Negate the effects of any Flip Effect Monsters that this monster destroys by battle.**

**(4) Harpie Lady 3**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1300 DEF/1400**

**Attribute: WIND**  
><strong>Effect: This card's name is always treated as "Harpie Lady". Your opponent's monster that battles with this card cannot declare an attack for your opponent's next 2 turns.<strong>

**(5) Harpie Lady Sisters**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 6 ATK/1950 DEF/2100**

**Attribute: WIND**  
><strong>Effect: Cannot be Normal SummonedSet. Must first be Special Summoned with "Elegant Egotist".**

**(6) Harpie's Pet Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] Level 7 ATK/2000 DEF/2500**

**Attribute: WIND**  
><strong>Effect: This card gains 300 ATK and DEF for each "Harpie Lady" on the field.<strong>

**(7) Sacred Crane  
><strong>

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1600 DEF/400**

**Attribute: LIGHT**  
><strong>Effect: If this card is Special Summoned: Draw 1 card.<strong>

**(8) Dark Jeroid  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1200 DEF/1500**

**Attribute: DARK**  
><strong>Effect: When this card is Summoned: Target 1 face-up monster on the field; it loses 800 ATK.<strong>

**(9) Frontier Wiseman  
><strong>

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1600 DEF/800**

**Attribute: EARTH**  
><strong>Effect: <strong>**As long as this card remains face-up on your side of the field, negate the effects of Spell Cards that target face-up Warrior-Type monsters on your side of the field and destroy the Spell Cards.**

**(10) Posessed Dark Soul  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] Level 3 ATK/1200 DEF/800**

**Attribute: DARK**  
><strong>Effect: You can Tribute this face-up card; take control of all face-up Level 3 or lower monsters your opponent currently controls.<strong>

**(11) Infernal Incinerator  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] Level 6 ATK/2800 DEF/1800**

**Attribute: FIRE**  
><strong>Effect: This card can only be Normal Summoned or Set by discarding all other card(s) in your hand and Tributing 1 card you control with 2000 or more ATK. This card gains 200 ATK for each monster your opponent controls. This card loses 500 ATK for each other monster you control.<strong>

**(12) Dark Balter the Terrible  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Fusion/Effect] Level 5 ATK/2000 DEF/1200**

**Attribute: DARK**  
><strong>Effect: "Possessed Dark Soul" + "Frontier Wiseman"<strong>  
><strong>A Fusion Summon of this monster can only be conducted with the above Fusion Material Monsters. When a Normal Spell Card is activated, negate the effect by paying 1000 Life Points. The effect of an Effect Monster that this monster destroys as a result of battle is negated.<strong>

**(13) Winged Minion  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] Level 2 ATK/700 DEF/700**

**Attribute: DARK**  
><strong>Effect: Tribute this face-up card. Select 1 face-up Fiend-Type monster on the field. Increase the ATK and DEF of the monster by 700 points as long as it remains face-up on the field.<strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	17. Chimp's Challenge

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**Beta-Reader: Gammatron**

* * *

><p>Jason's the first to wake up before the others in his dorm, as usual, so he could get through his usual mail route. Nothing changed from last time; first he delivered the Slifers' mail, then went to the Ra's dorm, then snuck past the Obelisk boys to leave their mail, and finally gave mail to the girls' dorm.<p>

Looking at the time, Jason thought he'd take a little break before going to the main building. So he found a small clearing in the forest on the way from the girls' dorm and sat down to rest, where he pulled a bag out from his person. Since he usually misses out on breakfast this time of morning, he figured he'd save a lunch bag from the day before for this kind of time. Opening the bag the first thing he pulled out is a baloney sandwich. He was about to bite into it when he heard the rustling of leaves.

Jason sat frozen with a sandwich in his mouth as a nearby bush shook in front him and something small and furry popped out. This is the first time he ever stood face-to-face with a monkey. He never went to the zoo, after all. The monkey crawled out of the bush and sat down on the ground in front of the slifer, hooting quietly as it kept staring.

Judging from how the monkey kept looking at his sandwich, Jason guessed it wanted something from him. His better judgement told him not to feed animals, but the pleading look in the monkey's beady eyes sort of soften him up. So he dug into his bag and brought out a banana to present to him. The monkey grunted and reached for the banana, which Jason placed on the ground for it to get to it. When the monkey picked it up it ripped the banana open and ate it whole.

The monkey seemed satisfied, and Jason decided to leave it alone, so he stood up and walked off. But when he turned around, the monkey is seen following him. This might be a problem if it ends up following him all the way to school. He could ask the monkey to go back to the forest, but it would be clear that they don't understand each others' language. But he's getting later for class than usual and he doesn't want to get in trouble. If only there's a way to occupy the monkey so it could leave him alone. That gives him an idea…

* * *

><p>Jason let the monkey follow him until they reached a large clearing at the edge of the island. If he gave it an apple and it eats it, it'll probably let him go.<p>

Suddenly a loud shrill ripped through the quietness. On reflex, Jason ducked back into the tall grass he came from, and peeked through just in time to see something large, furry and metal came sprinting out from a different direction and straight to the edge where a curved tree grew from. Looking closer, he could see held by the beast…

"Don't let me go! Don't let me go!"

'Wait, that looks like Jasmine!' Jason gasped. Seeing the obelisk blue being held captive by a monkey reminds him of that old movie he once saw. He left that train of thought when more people came from the same direction; two tall guys in suits and shades and one short guy with a beard and glasses.

"Take aim and fire!" the short man commanded, as the most noticeable thing was the rifle one of the suits has aiming straight at the monkey, and Jasmine!

"NO!" Jason exclaimed, shooting out from his hiding place, "What are you doing?!"

The men nearly jumped when they heard Jason's shout, "What's this kid doing out here?!"

"What's going on here?!" Jason asked, alternately looking between the men and the monkey holding Jasmine.

"This is none of your business! So get lost!" the man with the gun said.

"They're right over there!" another voice shouted and Jaden, Rock and Syrus came out from the direction the suits came, along with the obelisks Alexis, Chakra and Mindy. When Rock saw Jason, he pointed, "Hey, Jason over there too!"

"Did he get mixed up in this also?" Syrus wondered.

"Jaden? Chakra? What are you doing here?" Jason asked, "And what going on exactly?"

"Can't you tell?" Rock said, "That ape came out and snatched up Jasmine!" Jason looked towards the monkey who's snarling back. Upon closer inspection he could see it's wearing a metal vest connected to a helmet on its head with a red visor.

"Hey, that monkey's wearing a duel-disk!" Jaden pointed, noting the duel-disk strapped on the monkey's arm, "Either that or a strange-looking banana."

"That's no banana," the short man came up, "And that's no ordinary monkey. His name's Wheeler, and he's a trained duelist."

"A dueling monkey? No way!" Jaden awed.

Jason looked back at the cliff, where Jasmine is still crying for help. 'Isn't there any way to help…?'

"If you're telling the truth and that monkey really knows how to duel, then the only way to settle this is with a duel!" Jaden elected.

"Jaden's right," Chakra agreed, taking out her duel-disk "That's why I'm volunteering Jason!" that's when the student group stood wide-eyed at Chakra's choice.

"Wha—Me?" Jason stammered.

"There's no better time to work on your dueling…" Chakra said, handing the duel-disk to him, "Especially when there's someone depending on you."

"Depending on me…?" Jason looked back at the monkey who looked back cautiously, still carrying the obelisk girl. Taking a deep breath, he moved up to face the monkey, 'I don't know if he understands but…' "I want Jasmine back! I wanna duel for her!" he activated his duel-disk, "I I wind you give her back! If you win then you can take me instead!"

"So Jasmine goes free either way?" Rock asked, "That's pretty generous!"

"So what's supposed to happen if Jason loses?" Syrus asked, "Is he gonna live as a monkey from now on?"

"Now if Jason wins, he's not," Jaden assured; Wheeler let out a few screeches, "See? He's ready to throw down too!"

Wheeler set Jasmine towards the top of the tree then leapt onto a rock. It screeched as his duel-disk flicked on.

"I have a clear shot." The man armed took aim.

"Wait," the old man said, "This could be the field test we've been waiting for."

**Jason: 4000**

**Wheeler: 4000**

_"Duel!"_ came a digitized voice from Wheeler's helmet.

"Did…did that monkey just talked?!" Jason whimpered, just as flabbergasted as Jaden, Syrus and the others.

"Please, that would be completely unrealistic!" the old man said, "The helmet reads his mind and talks for him!"

'Why did I get dragged into this…?' Jason thought as he started his turn, "I summon Elemental Heat in ATK mode!" the fire-attribute hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And it gains 200 ATK points for every Elemental Hero on my field (ATK: 1800)! I place one card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

_"My turn! My turn! Draw!"_ Wheeler drew his sixth card, _"(1) Berserk Gorilla(4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1000)! ATK mode!"_ a large, enraged Gorilla appeared (ATK: 2000), _"Berserk Gorilla attack!"_ Wheeler let out more screeches as Berserk Gorilla smashed into Heat.

**Jason: 3800**

**Wheeler: 4000**

_"Now, one card face-down!"_ Wheeler concluded, _"Monkey see, monkey duel! Better!"_

"Not only can he duel but he can make puns too?" Jaden asked, "That's one smart monkey."

"I make monkey of you! You! You!" Wheeler taunted as Jason groaned.

'That'd go without saying!' Jasmine thought as she watched the duel, 'I watched Jason duel before and I can already tell he doesn't know what he's doing!'

"Hey, don't let that chimp psych you out, buddy!" Rock called. "Just focus on your dueling!"

"That may be a little hard for Jason," Alexis said, "After all, he is getting beat by a monkey."

"He just needs to play something stronger, that's all," Chakra said, "Then he'll get the upper hand."

'Okay, that didn't work…' "It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'But this might!' "I activate the magic card Polymerization! I send Elemental Heroes Ocean and Poison Rose from my hand to the graveyard to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two heroes merged and the caped ice hero appeared (ATK: 2500), "Next, I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATk mode!" the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600).

"Absolute Zero attacks Berserk Gorilla!" Absolute Zero released a blast of ice shards and destroyed the gorilla.

**Jason: 3800**

**Wheeler: 3500**

"Knospe, attack his life-points directly!" Knospe fired her seeds at Wheeler.

**Jason: 3800**

**Wheeler: 2900**

"And when Knospe attacks, her ATK points increase while her DEF points decrease (ATK: 600-700/DEF: 1000-900).

"I end my turn."

"Awesome, now Jason's in the lead!" Syrus said, "Good for us!"

"Yeah, not so much for our furry little friend." Alexis pointed out.

"Does that mean he's giving up?" Mindy asked.

"Oh please," the older man said, "He just made one mistake, that's all. But it won't happen again. At the lab he'd be punished for making the same mistake twice. He won't give up, he'll just get better." The kids gasped at the info.

"Top secret, sir."

"Oh, right. Forget I said that."

_"My turn! Draw!"_ Wheeler started his next turn, _"I summon Acrobat Monkey(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1800)!"_ a silver robotic monkey appeared (ATK: 1000), _"Next, play face-down!"_ Wheeler's reverse-card opened, _"Trap! Trap! DNA Surgery!"_

"DNA Surgery?!" Jaden gasped, "That changes all the monsters on the field to whatever type that monkey chooses!"

"I choose beast-type! Beast-type!" Acrobat Monkey turned into an actual monkey in armor. Jason's Elemental Heroes gained new forms of anthropic animals, Absolute Zero a polar bear and Knospe a small green mole. "Now I play, Wild Nature's Release!"

Wild Nature's Release?" Alexis repeated aghast, "That card will increase the ATK points of one beast of beast-warrior type monster by its DEF points! Wow, this monkey really is good."

"And that's not good for Jason…" Syrus added.

"Sure, but it's not bad either," Chakra said, "Remember, Absolute Zero destroys every monster on the opponent's field when it itself leaves the field.

"Acrobat Monkey, power up, power up!" The monkey quickly bulked up, it's armor breaking until it revealed an a more muscular monkey underneath (ATK: 2800), "Attack with Somersault Smash!" as ordered, the monkey leapt into a somersault struck Absolute Zero.

**Jason: 3500**

**Wheeler: 2900**

"When Absolute Zero is destroyed, all your monsters are destroyed as well!" Jason said as the monkey froze solid and shattered.

_"All part of plan! Now I summon (2) Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 1800)!"_ Wheeler's previously-bare field became occupied by a large green giant, looking like something out of a fairy tale. It bared its teeth at Jason and Knospe while holding its large club in hand (ATK: 2600).

"2600 ATK points?!" Syrus gasped, "How'd he summon that?!"

"With Jason's help," Chakra grimaced, "When a beast-type monster is destroyed by a card-effect, a player can then pay 1000 life-points to summon this monster from their hand or graveyard."

_"Attack with Wild Smash!"_ Even though Knospe tried to burrow underground, she wasn't safe from Green Baboon's club when it smashed deep into the ground.

**Jason: 1600**

**Wheeler: 1900**

"That thing just pummeled both of Jason's monsters!" Rock said, "How's Jason supposed to stand up to that kind of muscle?"

"Don't worry about it!" Jaden assured, "He'll catch up. Remember, he's got all his other fusions in his deck!"

"You mean like Gaia and Great Tornado!" Syrus remembered, "You're right, those could work!"

"Now really…" Chakra sighed and shook her head, "He may have powerful fusions, but he'll have a difficult time calling them out; especially when he used up his one Polymerization card."

"Wait, he only has one Polymerization?" Jaden asked. "But I've seen him use that card plenty of times and more than once in a few duels."

"And every time it's the same card."

"Chakra's right," Alexis supported, "Jason always has a few cards that lets him add Polymerization straight from his deck or graveyard. So he could use fusion over and over when he needs it."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down and end my turn!" 'Please take the bait!'

"Just think about it," Chakra explained, "Even if Jason were to summon Woodsman, it'll just be destroyed before he can activate its ability. And even if he were to have Fusion Recovery, he'll have to have saved an extra monster in his hand. And I have doubts that the one card he's got is actually a monster card."

"So you're saying he's got no way to beat that baboon?" Rock asked.

"I'll have to be honest; this is becoming more and more like a one-sided fight."

"What's Chakra thinking having Jason duel?!" Jasmine thought aloud, "It's should've been Alexis or Jaden out there! I'm sure even Syrus would have a better time than Jason is! I guess he's doomed to live out his days as a vine-swinger. Although for what it's worth, it was pretty nice of him taking the fall for me when he loses."

_"My turn! My turn!"_ Wheeler drew his next card, _"Summon (*) Bazoo the Soul-Eater(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 900)!"_ a purple-furred horned baboon appeared (ATK: 1600), _"Now activate effect! Now remove up to 3 monsters from graveyard! Gain ATK points! 300 per card!"_

"Wait, there was Berserk Gorilla and Acrobat Monkey…" Syrus deducted, "That's 600 points!"

After Wheeler yanked the two cards from his graveyard and tossed them over his shoulder, Bazoo was awarded two orbs that it swallowed whole (ATK: 2200), _"Bazoo attack!"_ the baboon screeched and lunged at Jason.

"I activate my trap card, Magical Arm Shield!" Jason opened his reverse-card and a large shield appeared. Its panels opened and out stretched a fold-out arm that caught Green Baboon. The giant green monkey didn't think twice about swatting away the baboon.

**Jason: 1600**

**Wheeler: 1500**

"This trap card allows me to take control of an opponent's monster to become the target of an attack! Unfortunately that monster has to go back at the end of the battle-phase." The arm vanished and Green Baboon returned to Wheeler's field.

"It didn't exactly solve Jason's current situation," Alexis said, "but he managed to make it through okay."

"At least he managed to get rid of another monster!" Jaden said.

"Talk about lucky!" Rock added, "If Wheeler didn't summon another monster that would've been it! Jason would've lost!"

"Wheeler must have been hoping to draw out Jason's trap with that monster," Chakra wondered. "For a monkey, that's wise of him to be caution. Here's hoping it pays off for Jason."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I set one monster face-down in DEF mode!" a reversed monster appeared, "I end my turn."

_"My turn! Draw! Draw!"_ Wheeler drew his next card, _"Activate Fairy Meteor Crush!"_

"Not good!" Jaden gasped, "If Jason doesn't have a strong enough DEF, that ape's gonna smash the rest of his life-points!"

_"Green Baboon! Wild Smash!"_ Green Baboon tightened the grip on its club and raised it high over its head.

"Green Baboon has 2600 ATK points!" Rock cried, "I'm no mathematician but if Jason's monster doesn't have more that 1000 DEF points then it's over!"

Suddenly a small blur shot out from the tall bushes and landed right into the middle of the duel.

_"Stop! Stop!"_ Green Baboon froze in place, its club just a few feet away from falling ontop of Jason.

"Wait, why'd Wheeler stopped?" Syrus asked, confused. "He had the chance to attack but pulled back at the last second!"

"I think it's because of that!" Jaden pointed out to the field. Standing near Jason, between him and the giant baboon, is another smaller monkey. "But what's it doing out here?"

_"No! Too dangerous!"_ Wheeler shouted, _"Stay back! Stay back!"_

"Well, it looks like it's trying to protect Jason." Mindy guessed.

The group then heard a series of chatter from a different direction and looked behind a bundle of large rocks nearby to find… "More monkeys?!" Syrus gasped.

"It must be a whole tribe of them!"

"Then that tears it…" Rock then shouted, "Jason! That there's Wheeler's family! You know what that means, right?!"

"What…?" Jason spun his head to the group on monkeys, then back to Wheeler. "Is that true, Wheeler?!"

_"Must win!"_ Wheeler screeched, _"Miss family! Miss family!"_ that must be why Wheeler was running around the island. He just wants to go back to his family.

Jason looked down at the smaller monkey, who the climbed up to his shoulders, forcing a small grunt from him. It stayed close to him while keeping its eyes on Wheeler. They must be family as well. But why would this one protect him? Is it because he fed it earlier?

"I wonder…" Jason walked from his spot away from the giant baboon towards the rocks where the monkeys are. He lift the small monkey off his shoulders and carried it down to the ground near them, where it sprinted away and reunited with the rest of its family. With that done, Jason went back into position to finished where they left off. "Do it!" he exclaimed, "I owe you a free hit!"

_"?"_ Wheeler grunted, _"A free hit?"_

"Yes! Attack me to make up for the attack you held back!" Jason waited but only got a confused look from Wheeler, "What are you waiting for!?" he snapped, "Attack so we can get back to the duel!"

"But Jason already has less life-points that he can afford to lose as it is!" Jason said. "Why would he wanna lose any more?!"

"That's not really the case, Syrus," Alexis said, "He's just wants to play fairly."

"One of those monkey's interfered with Wheeler's last attack," Chakra explained, "It just wouldn't be fair if Jason wins on a technicality. And he knows that."

Wheeler screeched, _"Baboon! Attack! Attack!"_ The Green Baboon raised its giant club and smashed it into the ground over Jason's monster, forcing the slifer to shield himself from the flying dust and dirt clots.

"The monster you destroyed was Elemental Hero Flash!" Jason said after lowering his guard, "So now I can remove him from play, and 3 other Elemental Hero monsters in my graveyard…" he removed Flash, Absolute Zero, Ocean and Poison Rose from his graveyard, along with his Polymerization card, "So I can take a normal-magic card from my graveyard, and add it to my hand!"

**Jason: 600**

**Wheeler: 1500**

"Looks like he can do fusion again after all!" Rock said.

"Let's hope he can do it in time," Chakra said, "I don't think Jason can hold off that baboon any longer."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge in ATK mode!" the ice-armored hero appeared (ATK: 800).

_"Don't forget! Don't forget! DNA Surgery! Ice Edge turns into a beast-type!"_ an aura washed over Ice Edge until he became a polar bear cub.

"Next I equip him with Scroll of Enchantment and change his attribute to FIRE!" the temperature on Ice Edge's armor sharply increased as it glowed a bright red and his fur darkened to pitch-black, "Next I send one card from my hand to the graveyard to have Ice Edge attack directly!" Ice Edge jumped into the air and formed a large fireball in its hands, before launching it at the monkey duelist.

**Jason: 600**

**Wheeler: 700**

"Those guys are almost even!" Rock said, "Just one more attack and Jason—"

"Jason isn't going to have the chance!" Alexis exclaimed, "That Green Baboon is going to attack next turn; and Jason just emptied out his hand just now!"

"He left Ice Edge wide open!" Mindy added, "The only other card he has is that face-down and he hasn't used it the entire battle!"

"But there's gotta be something to that face-down!" Jaden hoped, "I mean, it has to be part of something, right?"

"Don't forget how he changed his monster's attribute!" Rock said, "There's gotta be some reason he did that! Chakra, do you have any ideas?" the silver-haired obelisk didn't reply as she continued studying Jason's strategy.

_"Draw! Draw!"_ Wheeler drew his next card, _"Green Baboon! Attack!"_ the giant ape swung it massive club down onto Ice Edge. The force kicked up another cloud of debris that blanketed the battlefield.

"Did it work? Did he win?" Jaden and the rest of the spectators waited for the dust to settle and find out the outcome. As the dust cleared up, the Green Baboon rose, roaring as it pounded its chest as victory, just as Wheeler is doing now.

**Jason: 0**

**Wheeler: 700**

"I don't believe it! Jason lost…" Syrus groaned.

"He fought as hard as he could as long as he could," Alexis said, "I guess he finally reached his limit…"

"But he was such a great duelist when I last saw him!" Rock said, "To think he'd lose to a monkey…"

"I thought he'd do something when he attacked," Mindy said, "What's the point if he knew he wouldn't win?"

"It wouldn't matter if he attacked or defended, he'd lose either way," Chakra said, "Sometimes it's better to go down fighting."

"The important thing is that it's over…" Jaded said, then exclaimed to Wheeler, "Alright, Wheeler! The duel's over, now let Jasmine go!"

Wheeler carried Jasmine off the tree and placed her back on solid ground, where she ran straight into Alexis and Mindy's embrace as they came, "He reeked of bananas!" she cried.

"It's okay, you're safe now!" Mindy comforted.

"What about Jason?" Rock asked, gesturing to the lost slifer already on his knees and spaced out. "I just feel so bad for the guy! He must've put everything he had into that duel!"

"Forget about him; what happens to Wheeler now?" Jasmine wondered as they looked back over to the saddened monkey. "He shouldn't have snatched me, but he deserves more than those needle-poking scientist guys."

"Alright you flea-ridden failure!" the armed man barked at Wheeler, "Time to go!"

"Hold on!" Jaden exclaimed, putting himself between him and Wheeler, "He doesn't belong with you. He belongs out here in nature! He belongs with his family! And that's where we gonna leave him! Got it? Then he can dig grubs, pick berries and… you know, monkey stuff!"

"Don't worry, Wheeler! We won't let them take you back to the lab!" Syrus assured.

"'Cause if they do I'll call the tv stations!" Alexis supported.

"And I'll call the newspaper!" Mindy added.

"And then it's goodbye top-secret!" Jasmine said.

"Enough nonsense outta the way!" the suits pushed past Jaden and tossed and captured Wheeler in a net, much to the kids' open protests.

"You think that your friends scare me? Please, you're just some kid. Who's gonna believe you? Now only will my labwork continue but it will grow larger."

"How's that?"

"Because I'm taking them all! He won't miss his family; they'll all be in cages with him!"

"Stop!" a rock was struck at the armed man forcing forcing him to lower his aim. Jason took advantage of the distraction and charged right into him, knocking them both into the ground, leaving the other suit to struggle with the captive monkey. The two wrestled for a short time before Jason was forcefully pushed off. The suit jumped back up on his feet, but so did Jason as he quickly turned the gun on him.

"Let the monkey go and leave!" Jason out-rightly demanded.

"You put that down right now, kid," the scientist insisted, "We rather not have anyone getting hurt," The suit slowly approached Jason as he backed away closer to the edge, "Don't do anything dumb."

"I said leave the monkeys alone!" Jason shouted. "I won't have to hurt anyone if you just do what I say and never come back here!"

"You got it backwards, kid. It's not us who should be worried about getting hurt…" with the scientist's signal the suit whipped out a handgun and aimed it Jason, the academy students gasping in response. "It's you." The slifer red now stares down the barrel of a firearm that isn't a hologram. He felt legs wobbled and his hands sweat and shake with fear of getting shot. "So, what's it gonna be?"

"C'mon, what do you think you can possible do with a tranquilizer gun? We, however have a real gun that can actually do some damage."

"What's Jason thinking?!" Rock asked, "He's staring down the barrel of an actual handgun and he's still not letting up!"

"What makes him think he could do anything?!" Jasmine questioned, "I know he's just looking out for the poor guy, but he's really needs to pick his battles!"

"Don't think I won't think twice about shooting a kid. Why throw your life away knowing we'll wind up with what we want in the end? Trust me, it's just not worth it." The scientist is absolutely right, especially when Jason just the realized he's just holding a tranquilizer gun. Going over his options, he realized he never had one in the first place.

"Jason, they have an actual gun!" Chakra called to him, "You did what you think is right, we all want to defend Wheeler…" her words then dissolved into a plead, "but please, know when to give up!"

That alone caused Jason's surrender. So he let the tranq gun fall to the ground.

"That's better. Now go and join your friends." Jason walked through the suits, his head hanging with regret and embarrassment. As he crossed past the armed suit, he made a quick smack into Jason's head with the butt of his gun, sending the poor dliffer falling into the ground.

"Jason!" the students cried out. They were about to run towards him but the barrel pointing at them stopped them in their tracks.

"That's completely uncalled for!" Jaden exclaimed.

"Yeah! He didn't deserve that!" Mindy added.

"It show him right thinking he can meddle in grown-up affairs," the scientist said. "If he hadn't had his head in the clouds from all those sonic the hedgehog comics he no doubt reads, he wouldn't even be in this mess."

"&$# you! Sonic's awesome!" Rock shouted.

"The best!" Syrus added.

"Well good for you. You'll be better off sticking to what you know." Jason tried getting up but was pushed back down by the armed man's shoe.

"Leave him alone!" Chakra demanded, "You got what you wanted! Just let him go!"

"In a minute. There's still some unfinished business." with a wave of a scientist's hand, the suit switched arms and aimed the tranq gun at the group of monkeys.

The pitter-patter of little feet preceded a pudgy cat that leapt up on the armed man and forced him to drop his gun.

"Tsk-tsk, Pharaoh. Naughty kitty." The students turned to see professor Banner puck up his retreating tabby.

"Who're you?" the scientist asked.

"Oh you know, just your average teacher, duelist, animal lover…" he kicked up the gun and caught it. "If you gentlemen get what I'm saying."

The man growled. It could be possible to hold the teacher at gunpoint, but he doesn't want to risk a speculation even in a closed location as this island. So he decided to call it quits and retreat with the two suits, unfortunately leaving Wheeler behind. With them gone, the students rushed over to Jason.

"He's out like a light," Jaden confirmed, "I think he was hit harder than I thought!"

"Then he'll need medical attention," Banner said. "We'll have to take him to the nurse's office!"

* * *

><p>"Is he gonna be okay?"<p>

"I think he's waking up. Let's give him some space."

Jason groaned as he woke up. He sat up and looked around, finding himself in a place he had only been once before, the nurse's office. He wasn't the only one there, as Jasmine and Chakra stood a distance away from the cot he was on, the former holding a duel-disk in her arms.

"Glad to see you're awake, Jason." Chakra softly greeted.

The slifer groaned, "Ngh…what happened? How did I get here?"

"The guys carried you here after…you know…"

"Know what…?"

The two obelisk girls glanced at each other in confusion before looking back at Jason, "Don't you remember you duel with Wheeler?"

"Wheeler! That's right—" Jason suddenly grasped his throbbing head in pain.

"Settle down! You got hit in the head pretty hard." Chakra said as she held Jason's hand from his head. "If you mess with it, it might not heal properly."

Jason calmed down and sat on the bed, looking down at his lap, "What happened? Did Wheeler…make it?"

"You don't have to worry. He's back with his family now."

"Okay…" in the moments that followed, there was awkward silence.

"Alright, I think I'll leave you two alone for a bit…" Chakra turned to leave the office, leaving Jason alone with Jasmine.

Even then there was nothing but silence. So Jasmine had to be the one to break it. "I know you were holding back when you dueled, Jason," she sighed, "This duel-disk still has you card in it, even that face-down card you had," Jason flinched a bit but didn't reply further than that. Jasmine removed the card sticking out of the duel-disk blade and showed it to him, "You could've won but you didn't. So why didn't you play Spiritual Fire Art when you had the chance?" she waited for an answer, but grown impatient when she received nothing but more silence. So she placed the duel-disk on the nightstand next to the bed and turned to leave.

"I didn't try to save him…"

Jasmine stopped and looked back, "What's that?"

"When I saw you held hostage I wanted to help you," Jason muttered, his eyes still not leaving his lap, "But as I dueled Wheeler, when I realized he was trying to get back to his family, I couldn't help but feel like I dueled for the wrong reason."

"What makes you say that?" Jasmine was curious.

"I guess I just can't forget about the one you and I had. Maybe the real reason I was so willing, was to prove that I'm not worthless. But when I saw Wheeler's family, when I realized the stakes he was playing for…" his lips quivered, his words having to be pushed out of his throat, "I was selfish. I was only thinking about what I want. After I gave him the duel I wanted to make up for that; I wanted to help reunite him with his family. But I couldn't even do that right…"

"So all that was just to impress a girl," Jasmine scoffed, "And not only did it backfire, it almost got yourself killed! What if those guys aimed at me instead? You think I'd be impressed my that?!"

"I'm sorry; I wasn't thinking…"

"And look where it got you. Here's some advice: next time you want to risk your life just to prove you're tough, remind yourself first how you got yourself here! Stay in your league, Jason! I won't tell you again!" Jasmine got her fill and stopped away. But when she got as close to the door, she stopped and sighed.

"Jason…" for the first time since they were alone, the slifer looked up. "I appreciate that you helped me, but please, don't do anything like that again." Jasmine walked out, leaving Jason in remaining silence.

"So, did things turn out okay?" Chakra asked, standing against the wall waiting for Jasmine.

"You were right," Jasmine replied, "Almost losing our duel a while back is why he did something this stupid…"

"Are you really against me hanging out with him just because he's in Slifer Red?"

"It's not just because he's a slifer! It's just…look, I'm not shallow! It's not what color his jacket is that I'm worried about! Think about it! You're heir to the Slivers Foundat-"

"Watch it."

"Oh! Sorry… Listen, you're beautiful, smart, athletic, the perfect female role model! While Jason's…well, you know! Is it so wrong that I'm just looking out for you?!"

"No. Not at all. But I'd appreciate if you stop giving him a hard time. I can tell you don't respect him enough to take him seriously when you dueled."

"Trust me, if had skills worth respecting, I would."

"Trust me, if he wants to, he'll show it." Chakra then turned into the hallway as she walked away.

"'If he wants to?' What's that supposed to mean?" she muttered to herself.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Berserk Gorilla  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/2000 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: If this card is in face-up Defense Position, destroy this card. This card must attack if able.**

**(2) Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest  
><strong>

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] Level 7 ATK/2600 DEF/1800**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Description: When a Beast-Type monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can pay 1000 Life Points to Special Summon this card from your hand or the Graveyard.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	18. At your service

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>It's another day at Duel Academy and the weather is perfect for both dueling and sports, and on sport in particular is tennis when the students spent the class under the large skylight dome in the gymnasium. Everyone paired off in teams on each separate field, Tennis balls fly while rackets swing left and right to get their mark. But not everyone is enjoying this game…<p>

"C'mon, Jason! Just take that stupid thing off!"

"No! I play as long as I wear it! That's the deal! I'm not taking it off!"

It was Rock and Jason's team competing against Chakra and Alexis, and their side is losing badly; and all because someone insisted they play with an umpire mask.

"Mind telling me why he's wearing that in the first place?" Alexis asked.

"He's just nervous about the balls flying around, afraid he's gonna get pelted or something!"

"I've been here for two months and I already got punched in the face and hit by a baseball! I just can't take any chances!"

"Jason, look around," Chakra said, "Do you see anyone getting hit with a ball? Believe me, it's very unlikely."

"Yeah, but…"

"Trust me, nothing like that's gonna happen to you. So just take the mask off and let's play, okay?" Although reluctant, Jason decided to remove his mask. "There. Better?"

"Kinda."

"Good. Now focus, you're next to serve." Chakra tossed the ball over and let it bounce for Jason to get. "Just remember what we went through and know where to swing."

"Okay," Jason studied the ball for a moment, trying to figure out the best way to serve, "Alright, here I go!" at the same time he tossed the ball up and, remembering that little suggestion form Chakra, pulled back his left-handed arm. When the ball fell his arm recoiled and launched the ball after getting smacked against the racket.

After founding out where the ball was heading she's already ready to counter, but another seemed to come at Chakra with great speed it nearly caught her off guard. With no simple defense in mind she used both a forehand and backhand, sending both projectiles flying in different directions; one unfortunately sent soaring out of the field. Not only enough force was applied to knock a nearby Crowler off of his high-chair, but also bounced back the opposite direction.

"Uh oh! That had to hurt!" Rock gasped.

"Chakra, did you see that?!" Alexis revealed, "Someone else's ball went in our court!"

"And it got me off-guard!" Chakra said, "I ended up trying to hit two balls and used more force than I should!"

"So does that mean someone else hit the ball from somewhere else?" Jason asked. He picked up the ball and inspected it. "This doesn't look like the ball I threw…"

"Ahem!" he looked up from the ball and was met with the sight of another student with short brown hair; and he doesn't seem too happy to see him. "Do you have any idea what you're holding?"

"A…tennis ball?"

"That happens to be a customized Rosewood exclusive tennis ball that you seemed to have gotten your dusty mitts on! Only well-trained professionals within the family like myself can possess it. So GIMME!" he swiped the ball from Jason.

"Hey, wait a minute! Who do you think you are?!" Rock stepped in and argued, but the player just pushed the Slifers aside towards the net where the obelisk team was on the other side. "But anyway, did you see how that ball went at Crowler?! Bam! Right in the bullseye!" like clockwork there was another tennis ball with Jason's name on it, "Yeah, uh, like that… Seriously, what are the odds?"

"Excuse me for interrupting," he greeted, taking a complete opposite tone than what he gave to the Slifer. "I just came to see if you two are alright."

"I'm fine, thank you." Chakra replied.

"Yeah, same here." Alexis added.

"Please forgive me!" the student apologized, "It was my turn to serve and, well, I never did know my own strength!"

"Um, heads up?" Jaden said nervously as he came to the court with Syrus, Mindy and Jasmine. "Sorry about the ball there. Anyone alright?"

"Yes, do you want me to carry you to the nurse?" the student was actually referring to Chakra, but just a glance at him sent hearts to Jasmine and Mindy's eyes. But just as his beauty captivated them, he was captivated by Chakra's.

"No thank you, I told you I'm fine," Chakra answered, trying to react to the daze the student's in, "Um, do you want me to carry you to the nurse's office?"

"Naw, it's just…I've seen you in Obelisk Blue, not that I've had the chance of talking with you…" before he knew what he was doing, he was cupping Chakra's hands in a gentlemanly manner with his, when he realized that he did he recoiled, "…let alone touch you! By the way, I'm Harrington Rosewood! I'm sure you heard of Rosewood Sporting Goods, right?"

"That explains the unique ball you're holding," Chakra said, looking down at the ball in Rosewood's hand.

"A Rosewood Family exclusive! Only top athletes can get something as special as this! Wait, now I remember! You're Chakra Silvers, of the Silvers Foundation, right?"

Now Chakra was starting to find this conversation awkward. "I see you've done your homework…"

"Anyway, back to my match!" he said and walked away, "um, what was the score? I think it was…love-something?" everyone stared as he went off.

"That was a bit awkward, isn't it?" Alexis muttered to Chakra, who lowered her eyes to Jason who was just getting up.

"Not this again…" Chakra sighed and walked to him, "Are you okay?"

Jason held a hand over his swelling right eye, "I'm fine, thank you for asking." But felt a chill down his spine as Crolwer came stomping towards them, and he doesn't look too happy.

* * *

><p>His seething continued through their trip to nurse Fontaine's office, while both he and Jason were being treated for a black eye, the latter actually along so Crowler could discuss punishment, and Chakra hoping to diffuse the problem.<p>

"I said I was sorry! I don't know how to make up for it!" Jason groaned, an ice-pack over his eye.

"That's too bad! You should've thought of that before—" Crowler winched as Fontaine turned his head towards her with a spare ice-pack in hand, "A little harder next time! Some of my vertebrae is still intact!"

"You know Dr. Crowler, I saw the incident, and technically Jason wasn't even the one who hit the ball back at you, if you don't mind me saying." Fontaine stated as she doused the ice-pack on him.

"That's right! That was my fault!" Chakra added, "Jason shouldn't be responsible for what I did!"

"Well I do mind!" Crowler retorted, "Because Jason is the one who started it! I saw it with my own eyes! …Well, one eye."

"Look, I don't want to get anyone in trouble," Jason said, "So if you're going to punish me then at least you can keep me out of sporting events. I'm not that good at that kind of stuff anyway."

"Not good at sports, huh?" Crowler jumped out of his seat, "Well I can think of no better punishment for your crime! I'll make you plat every sport we have under the tutelage of our team captains, and what better to start with than tennis!"

Jason backed away, "Wha? Can't I just do a report or something? I said I was sorry!"

"Oh, you will be!"

* * *

><p>And there was the start of the biggest workout in Jason's life. Back in the gymnasium he found himself weathering a storm of tennis balls launched one after another by the tennis captain. For each ball Jason missed, another would be sent flying right at him. The only break Jason seemed to have gotten is when he tripped over a stray ball and fell on his back.<p>

"Someone please call time-out…" Jason groaned.

Harrington waked over to the net looking over Jason with a smug grin on, "C'mon, Jason! No pain, no gain! You gotta hustle to build that muscle! You gotta sweat to become a threat! If you don't pick up the pace, you'll never win the race!"

"Alright, I get it! But can't we take a break first?"

"Hey, there's no letter 'I' in the word 'Team', Jason. Why, that's the very first rule of tennis!"

"But you can play tennis one-on-one, right?"

"Moving along… It's time to work on your forehand and backhand! I think 1000 strokes each should make tennis more your racquet! Get it? Get it!?"

From the edge of the court, Rock, Jasmine and Mindy were watching him laugh his head off.

"I get it, this guy's a complete nutjob," Rock stated, "The clichés, the crazy practicing…"

"You know, he is a bit obsessive." Jasmine said.

"Let him obsess! Over me!" Mindy suggested, oblivious for the formers' statements.

As the exercises continued, Jason hit the ball at an unplanned angle and it ended up flying off the court and caught in someone's hand.

"Hey, Chakra!" Mindy waved, seeing her come into view.

Upon hearing her name, Harrington turned his attention from the game and took the chance to talk to her, "Hey there! Sorry I'm all sweaty. It's just that I've been kicking this guy's—" but as it turns out, she was the least interested as she just walked past him.

"Jason, I just gone over what happened earlier with Anais and she decided to let you off," Chakra explained, "So you can stop now!"

"Oh, thank you…!" Jason huffed, trying to catch his breath, "I don't know how much more I can…"

Nearby Harrington stood in attention to their conversation, not because he was interested in what they're saying, but actually green with envy. 'A benchwarming loafer like Jason talking to a girl like Chakra!? No way! Time to run some interference!' "HEY! TIME OUT!" Chakra and Jason jumped at Harrington's outburst as he stormed over. "You can't be talking to a first-round pick like Chakra! You couldn't return a bucky-whip with some topspin! So just stay away from my Obelisk Pixie!"

"Wait, what?! Obelisk Pixie?!" Jason cringed, then incidentally, when he thought about Harrington's choice word he thought of a bulky blue giant as a small plastic figurine with fairy wings. Weird…

"Lister Jason, I'm warning you! Just step away from the beautiful girl! You're way out of your league! Do not make me go athletic on you!"

"Wait a minute!" Jason backed away, "I don't want any trouble! We were just talking!"

"Just talking, huh? What is it that's so interesting that she needs to talk to you about?!"

"Uh, stuff?"

"Sure! You'd like me to believe that, wouldn't you! Well I don't! I don't believe a word you say! Which is why, this little huddle's over!"

"No way, bro! Know your sports! When a huddle is over, you make your play! You don't run away!"

"No way! I want a duel! Winner gets to be Chakra's fiancé!"

"Ah, I just love weddings!" Mindy squealed.

"Yeah, but I'm not so sure about arranged ones." Jasmine added.

Jason, among certain others, didn't share their fondness in these stakes, "Um, I'm sorry but I can't! There's something else I gotta do. Somewhere else," he backed away, ready to run out of the gym. "So…bye?"

"So, you suddenly decide to back down. I understand. After all, why bother when you can't even beat a monkey!" Jason stopped and his heart almost jumped out, could this mean… "That's right! I heard all about your little ape escapade from that day! In fact, it's all everyone talks about! So I guess it makes sense. You won't ever handle a girl like Chakra anyway."

"Now wait just a minute!" Chakra argued, "I don't remember agreeing to—"

"Alright!" Jason shouted, not looking back, "Fine. I get it. If you want a duel, then I'll play…"

"Jason, don't!"

"That's the spirit. We'll duel right here. I'll be waiting! Oh, and just to make things interesting, why don't you bring your black duel-disk and add that to the stakes!"

'This could only get downhill from here…' Chakra grimaced.

* * *

><p>Eventually, the stage is set on the tennis court as both Harrington and Jason stood on opposite ends, with their duel-disks equipped and decks ready inside. The others, meanwhile stood aside near the padded wall.<p>

"Here we go." Jasmine sighed.

"Yeah, if that guy duels like he plays tennis, it'll be rough going for Jason." Rock noted.

"This is great!" Mindy squealed to Chakra, "Having two cutie-pie boys dueling for your hand in marriage! How'd you feel?"

"No one's getting married, Mindy." Chakra groaned.

"Well fine, engaged. What, are we gonna split hairs here?" Jasmine smiled.

"I'm not getting engaged either! I didn't want this to happen in the first place! I was the one who hit Crowler but Jason's the one who got in trouble. If Harrington's ball hadn't came in our court he wouldn't be in this mess."

"Somehow that's pretty normal for a guy like him," Jasmine stated, "It's not the first time. Jason became the monkey in the middle…wait, that came out wrong."

"On that topic, how did anyone else know about his duel with Wheeler that day? I thought we were keeping it a secret."

"Don't look at me! I wouldn't joke about something like that! I mean, I'd be humiliated too if people thought a monkey could beat me in a card game!" the two girls then looked towards Mindy, who was trying not to look back under suspicion.

But eventually, she gave up. "That was…kinda my bad." That earned a hardened glare from Chakra, "B-but the other girls swore to take a vow of silence! It's not my fault they broke it!"

Chakra sighed as she lowered her face to her hands, "Unbelievable…"

* * *

><p>"Time to lose!" Harrington shouted as he and Jason drew their opening hands.<p>

**Harrington: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Service!" Harrington announced and drew his sixth card, "First, I'm gonna volley a spell card at ya: Service Ace!" the spell came to life on the field, "And just like a power-serve, this will make you sweat! Here's how it works: I pick a card, and you can guess whether it's a spell, trap, or monster. Guess right, you're fine! But if you guess wrong…then you get served with a stinging 1500 points of damage!"

Jason stared in shock as Harrington held up a card so it's face couldn't be seen.

"I guess this really is making Jason sweat." Rock said.

"How long does it take to make a decision?" Jasmine asked impatiently.

* * *

><p>"Look at you. This must be the biggest workout you had all week long!"<p>

"Alright…I choose monster card!"

Harrington gave a annoyed look before grinning slightly, "You sure…? There's still some time left to change your mind…"

Jason's nervousness grew where it started dividing his focus. Is this a chance worth taking…? "Wait! No, it's a spell card!"

Harrington chuckled and turned over the card. "Monster! Looks like we found another thing you're bad at, huh!"

"Wait a minute! I said it was a monster card!"

"That was then, and you changed your mind," Harrington laughed, "As long as you second-guess, you won't be the best! Anyway, now I put this card away…" he put the card into his pocket, "Then let loose the big stroke, Service Ace! Good luck returning this shot, pal!" the card glowed and fired a beam of light that exploded at Jason's feet.

**Harrington: 4000**

**Jason: 2500**

"15-love! Then I place one card face-down and finish the set." A reverse-card appeared. "Your serve! And you better make it count!"

"My turn…" Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode!" the merman hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "Attack Harrington directly!" Ocean charged with its staff ready.

"I don't think so! I activate Receive Ace!" Harrington revealed his trap card, "This trap negates your attack, then deals 1500 damage points directly to you!" a large gust of wind pushed Ocean back while Jason held back against it, "Good luck weathering this storm!" he laughed.

**Harrington: 4000**

**Jason: 1000**

"That's 30-love! Though I do have to pay three cards thanks to the trap I played." Harrington removed his top three cards from his deck.

"I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy!" Jason said, "This gives both players 1000 ATK points!"

**Harrington: 5000**

**Jason: 2000**

"Finally I end my turn by setting one card face-down." a reverse-card appeared.

"Boy, you are lazy, aren't you!" Harrington snide and started his next turn, "Hey, bro! That's fine! Makes it that much easier for me!" he activates a spell card, "I play Smash Ace! It lets me flip the top card of my deck! And if it's a monster, guess who take 1500 points of damage!" he checked the top card of his deck, then grinned as he showed it off, "Oh yeah! A monster!"

* * *

><p>"It's like no matter if it's tennis or dueling, Jason's still taking punishment!" Rock groaned, "Man, I'd hate to be in his shoes right now."<p>

"Well, he won't be taking anymore after this," Jasmine said, "Just one more hit and Jason's out of the game!"

"Does that mean he won't be carrying his new duel-disk?" Mindy asked.

"Looks like it. I shouldn't be surprised. Jason was never Card Professor material to begin with."

* * *

><p>"Today's just not your lucky day. Then again, what else could you expect from a Slifer Slacker! And now, get ready for Smash Ace!" A wide vortex rose up from the card and smashed into the slifer.<p>

**Harrington: 5000**

**Jason: 500**

"45-love! I'm on a roll! Just one more serve and it's game over! And the title of top Card Professor and Chakra's hand in marriage is mine!"

* * *

><p>"See? This match might as well be over." Jasmine said.<p>

"C'mon, Jason still has points left!" Rock said, "Sure, Harrington's got ten time more, but at least he didn't leave his field empty!"

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the powered flame hero appeared (ATK: 1300), "And when he's face-up on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for every elemental hero on my field!"<p>

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 2000)

"Element Hero Heat, attack Harrington directly!" Heat formed a large fireball and launched it at Harrington's feet.

**Harrington: 3000**

**Jason: 500**

"Next, Ocean will attack! But before that I activate the trap card Kunai with Chain!" Jason's opened card summoned a curved blade that equipped itself to Ocean by wrapping its chain around his arm, "It equips to Ocean and gives him 500 more ATK points (ATK: 2000)!" Ocean swung his new weapon at Harrington.

**Harrington: 1000**

**Jason: 500**

"Next, I activate the magic card Gryphon's Feather Duster! It destroys all the magic and trap cards on my field to I can gain 500 life-points for each one!" Ocean's Kunai shattered.

**Harrington: 1000**

**Jason: 1000**

"Finally, I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn." Two reverse-cards appeared.

"I gotta say, I didn't think you could get this far! But you made one major mistake: you just turned this duel into a tiebreaker!" Harrington drew his next card, "So congrats! You just handed me my key to victory! I activate the spell called Deuce!" the continuous-spell came to life as a scoreboard of 40-40, "And this card says it all! I can only activate it when we both have 1000 life-points! And here's how it works…" the obelisk duelist pulled out a comb to sweep his hair back, "from now on, each of us can only attack with one monster per battle-phase, and life-points don't matter. You win by being the first to give damage twice in a row."

* * *

><p>"I don't know much about tennis, but Harrington just turned this duel into a tennis game!" Rock said.<p>

"And in a tie-game one of them has to score two consecutive points to win, just like Harrington's spell card," Jasmine said, "And you don't have to a pro at tennis to know Harrington already has this match won."

* * *

><p>"Next, I summon (1) The Big Server(3ATK: 300/DEF: 800)!" a cybernetic-implanted tennis player with a racket for a right arm appeared (ATK: 300), "The reason his server's so big is because he strikes directly at your life-points! Now, Big Server! Attack with Spike Serve!" the monster tossed a spiked tennis ball in the air before smacking it down hard into Jason's life-points.

**Harrington: 1000**

**Jason: 700**

"Advantage: Harrington!" the tennis duelist cheered, "That was easy! Now just one more strike, and you're finished! The duel will be over, and your title and Chakra will be mine!"

* * *

><p>Mindy glanced over to Chakra, "You're awfully quiet for a while," she looked down at the fellow Obelisk's hands drumming on her folded arms. "Is…everything alright?"<p>

"I'm fine." Chakra replied in a low growl, scaring the girls a bit.

"Oh, and by he way, The Big Server has a special-ability that lets me take Service Ace from my deck, and place it in my hand," Harrington added the card from his deck to his hand, "You get a new card too, but it won't matter. I mean, let's be real here; there's no way it'll be as good as this one. How could it be? Now draw your card," Jason remained quiet as he drew, "Alright. And now, I'm serving up the spell card Service Ace!" the card rose to life a second time, and Harrington lift a card from his hand, "You remember how it works, right? You choose the card's type. If you're right, you're good. If you're wrong, you're gone!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to leave." Chakra left from the sidelines.

"But Chakra, don't you wanna see how the duel ends?" Mindy asked.

"No, I don't!"

"I think it's for the best," Jasmine went to catch up to her. "Besides, we all know how this play out. Why wait for the inevitable?"

Mindy looked back at the standoff for a moment before retuning to them. "I guess you're right…" so she joined in and left for the exit…

"Way to have faith, ladies!" Rock heckled to the girls who are leaving. "So impatient…"

* * *

><p>"Wait a minute!" Jason's sudden outburst made the girls halt their departure.<p>

"I don't understand! What's the point of even doing this?" Jason asked.

Harrington scoffed, "Begging for mercy already? You should've done that when you had the chance to surrender!"

"That's not what I asked you! I mean why bother with something like this? What exactly are we fighting for?"

"You really are slow, aren't you! In case you've forgotten this is a duel for the same of honor, love and pride!"

"Honor? Pride? You're not making any sense!"

"Then let me explain in terms even you can understand! I saw how Chakra's all friendly with you!"

"So?"

"So? I don't know who you think you are? But Chakra deserves better than someone like you, a Slifer Red slacker who lucks out with a pro one day only to blow it all with flea-ridden primate the next! That's insult to injury, which means you don't deserve to wear that duel-disk!"

"Is this what this is all about for you? Does me being friends with Chakra bother you that much?"

"With a fraud like you, Chakra's rep will only go downhill! That's why after I win this duel, you have to give up that duel-disk to someone who actually deserves it! And if you know what's good for, you'll stay away from Chakra! Because you have no business with my future fiancé!"

Among the girls listening in their conversation, Chakra's glare hardened as she fumed in silent anger.

"So that's what Chakra is to you, some kind of trophy?"

"Even the knights of old fight for the honor of a fair maiden!"

"That's not what I ask you!"

"You got a problem fighting for the right of a girl's hand in marriage? Are you embarrassed competing for the honor of a girl you never have a chance with? Well, tough! You gotta learn when you want something, you have to be ready to take it! You gotta have what it takes to grab first place!"

"Alright…I think I heard enough." Chakra reached back to remove her chain necklace, which has been noticed by the other two girls.

"Uh, please tell me you're not doing what I think you doing." Jasmine pleaded quietly.

"…Then there's nothing to say to you. I activate my face-down card, Spell Shattering Arrow!" Jason played his quick-play reverse-card, in which upon seeing this caused Chakra to stop what she's doing, "It destroys every face-up magic card on your side of the field and inflicts 500 points of damage for each one!"

Harrington scoffed, "And while you're at it, my Service Ace is still in play! And that means you'll still take 1500 points of damage!"

"That's why I also activate the trap card, Spiritual Water Art-Aoi!" another reverse-card rose, this one featuring another one of the Charmers from not that long ago. Ocean stepped backwards into the card after that, "By releasing one of my water-attribute monsters, I can look into your hand and discard one of your cards!"

"What?!" Harrington gasped.

"So if Jason can see into Harrington's hand, he'll know what card to choose?" Mindy guessed.

"And since Harrington already has two cards in his hand when Service Ace is in effect, Jason can choose which card to leave to avoid taking any more damage," Jasmine said, "That's actually smart of him…"

Harrington groaned as he revealed his hand to Jason, who chosen the spell card from it for the obelisk to discard, leaving only the one monster card in Harrington's hand, thus leaving him with only one card to choose for Service Ace.

"Then I guess here's my guess…" Jason confirmed, confident, "I guess spell card!"

That final choice caused quite a small commotion among the smaller audience.

"I could've sworn I heard Jason saying it was a spell in Harrington's hand!" Mindy said, unsure of what she just heard.

"Is his brain on vacation?!" Jasmine argued, "What was he thinking?! Does he want to add another mark on his losing streak!?"

"He's not losing anything," Chakra spoke up, "You seem to be forgetting one thing. Harrington activated Service Ace, which Jason countered with Spell-Shattering Arrow, which is then added with Spiritual Water Art. Jason managed to create a combo with those three cards."

"But Jason played two cards," Mindy reminded, "Why'd you say he used a three-card combo."

"You seem to forget a few things, Mindy. First off, trap card activations and effects can be used to piggyback onto each other and other cards to create combos; the same applies for quick-play spell cards since the two share similar functions. And in a combo, no card is sent to the graveyard until the combo ends. That means even if there's a normal-spell active in its combo, the card won't leave the field until the combo's finished."

"So what happens now?" Jasmine wondered, "Both Harrington and Jason activated cards that can deal damage to each other."

"In every combo the last card played takes priority and proceeds on down. Are you starting to see the big picture?"

"So Harrington activated Service Ace, then Jason played Spell-Shattering Arrow against it, then Spiritual Water Art to manipulate his chances…" Jasmine review, "Working their way back…"

"And Harrington's Deuce is still on the field," Mindy added, "So since Service Ace stays on the field until the combo's over, does that mean Spell-Shattering Arrow can destroy both of Harrington's spells? If that's true then that means…"

"Exactly." Chakra closed. Back on the field, the chain of events unfolded as both duelists' spells fired away. Jason's arrows impaled Harrington's spell cards while Service Ace smashed directly into the slifer, taking whatever life-points there were between them.

**Harrington: 0**

**Jason: 0**

"I know I chose to stay but, even I didn't see this coming!" Rock muttered, just as amazed of the outcome as everyone else are.

"But if Jason had made the right choice then he wouldn't have taken damage!" Mindy said, "He would've won the duel!"

"Whatever goes on in his head is anyone guess." Jasmine hinted.

"…Who cares," Chakra said in finality, "What matters is this duel is over."

Unable to keep his anger inside, Harrington barked, "I want a rematch!"

"Hm?" Jason was unable to reply to that.

"I don't know what you're trying to pull with that last move, but I'm not gonna let this slide!" Harrington shouted, "This is supposed to be a duel of love! There shouldn't be a draw! There should be a winner!" it appears he wanted so badly a rematch. But instead of getting what he wanted, his opponent merely turned to walk away, "Hey! Weren't you listening?! If you walk now that means I win by forfeit!"

"You should just ask her how you feel instead!" Jason shouted, surprising mostly everyone in the gym. With nothing else to say, he walked off.

"Confessing?" Harrington scoffed as he turned his back, "That's rich coming from a guy who can't even talk to a girl…" without a distraction, that means he could focus on his main target; and that's the silver-haired obelisk as he ran towards her, "Now that the third wheel's out of the way, why don't we—" but like last time, Chakra ignored him as she walked past him to pick up a tennis ball, with a racket Jason left off the floor.

"How about you and I have a tennis match, Harrington?" Chakra asked, with a strange tone in her voice.

"Now you're speaking my language!" Harrington accepted, apparently oblivious to Chakra's threatening nature. Soon another game began on the tennis court, with Chakra taking Jason's previous position. Before starting, she fiddled with the link on her chain necklace and removed it, along with her bracelets and anklets.

"Rock! Can you come here for a sec?" Chakra called, and the remaining slifer came to her side, "Would you mind holding these?" she placed the pile of chains in Rock's open hands. To his surprise, the large chains began pushing down on him.

"Whoa, these things are heavy!" Rock groaned as he struggled with the added weight on his way off the court.

"I've been waiting for a chance to break in my first game with my soul mate!" Harrington grinned as he readied himself into position. "So how are we gonna do this? Wanna go head to head? Or we can let our two beautiful spectators join in and test their prowess in doubles! That other slifer, I'm sure he no better than his buddy, but he can always watch!"

"How about this: we'll skip straight to a deuce. Whoever gets two in a row wins."

"Sounds fine to me! And since I'm such a nice guy, I'll let you get the first serve. I'll even let you use my own custom-made tennis ball!" Harrington brought out his ball and tossed it over for Chakra to take, "Look at us, two destined duelists having their first tennis match together! This is the start of a beautiful relationship!"

"…You say it like there even is a relationship," Chakra replied, leaving Harrington confused as she continued, "You do realize if Jason hadn't guessed against that last Service Ace, he may had won the duel. But have you been able to figure out exactly why he decided to draw out the duel, regardless of the stakes you gave?"

"Obviously because at the last minute, he wised up and realized that he's clearly way out of his league!" upon that reply, Chakra tossed up a tennis ball and swung her racket upon its descent. But despite Harrington's readiness the ball whizzed right past him. His head spun back and saw a large rip on the walls' padding where the ball stuck, causing him to start sweating.

"It's because of the stakes he chose to end in a draw!" Chakra corrected, "During the duel Jason knew something that you obviously didn't. And that a mistake you'll regret."

"Aw, c'mon! The duel's over and Jason backed out of a rematch. That makes you mine by forfeit!" the hardening glare Harrington's been facing became more intimidating, "Uh…right?"

"Let me make this clear so you'll understand: I don't appreciate being treated like some prize to be won or lost…" Chakra brought out Harrington's special ball and tossed that on far up into the air. Not waiting for it to fall, she bounded from the floor mat to meet the ball in mid-air, "Something that you failed to realize!" when the ball was in her sights she swung down hard and fast.

What was then a simple sports ball became a blazing projectile that didn't even last as it smashed down near Harrington's feet, causing the male obelisk to tumble off them. What was then in front of him was a large crater where a flat, shredded lump laid smoking in the middle.

The silver-haired duelist landed light on her feet, "Are you starting to see the big picture yet?" unable to give a proper reply through the shock he's given Harrington could only nod, "Good. Just do good to stay away from me. Now if you would excuse me…" leaving Harrington to sit there stupefied, Chakra stepped out of the court and retrieved her chain links. Jasmine and Mindy ran to her.

"Chakra, that was…" Jasmine stammered, "I mean…"

"That was incredible!" Mindy cheered. "I didn't know you were this good!"

"I guess now you know why I wear these links…" Chakra explained, "Even as far as normal chains go, these are deceptively heavier. They're made of a special material most people used in training weights."

"So they're not just a fashion statement!" Jasmine realized.

"But what about Harrington?" Mindy asked, "I mean, are you seriously gonna pass up the chance with one of the hottest guys in school?" that last statement earned another glare from Chakra, but still she pressed on, "I don't see any problem with a cute boy fighting for your honor. This seems like a wasted opportunity if you ask me."

"Were you even listening to what I was saying on the court?" Chakra asked.

"Um, I think it was about getting upset about being put on a pedestal like a carnival prize or something, but I'm sure he did that out of love."

"I think you need to cut back on all the romance novels." Jasmine muttered.

"I think we can all agree that Jason's the real winner today, right?" despite Rock trying to include himself, he only made things awkward.

"You friend's already gone. Why are you still here?"

"…Just trying to brighten the mood. Sheesh." The black-haired slifer sulked and walked off.

"Anyway, I think I wasted enough time here. I'll see you girls later." Chakra was the next to exit, leaving Jasmine and Mindy to watch her go.

Just when I thought I knew the girl she has a surprise just ready and waiting." Jasmine said. "I wonder how she'll do while dueling Alexis…"

"I don't care what she say, she's totally got a thing for Jason," Mindy added, then glanced over to Harrington still scared stiff off his feet. "Though she does have weird taste in boys."

* * *

><p>"I've been waiting all week to move out, so maybe you misheard our agreement," a certain pigtailed female slifer growled, placing her hands against the wooden desk. "Did we not agree I get to move out of that shack after winning against one of your students?"<p>

"Actually, our agreement was that if Chazz lost, you two would trade dorms," Crowler said, not taking his eyes off his paperwork, "You seem to have forgotten that Chazz is no longer on the island. Since there's no one to trade dorms with you, the offer's officially void."

"You'd like me to buy that, wouldn't you?"

"Look, anyone would like to get out of that roach motel. I'm sure you're not the only one. But there is a time and place for everything, and that time was supposed to be Bastion's anyway. If word gets out that you promoted under technicality, people would get suspicious."

"And eventually it'll be on your head," Calypso leaned over, "Remember, I know your little secret."

"And you remember, you're not supposed to be here," Crowler stood up and reared over the desk to face her, "So what will happen to your free ride if people found out that you stowed into Duel Academy?"

"Well played, Crowler. Fine, it'll be fun to play by someone else's rules anyway. Even better when I'm the one holding the cards," Calypso turned to leave, glaring back just when she opened the door, "Oh, and by the way, get well soon." She giggled as she shut the door behind her.

"Stupid, spoiled little brat!" Crowler growled, pressing another ice pack over his black eye. "I need a way to get her off my back. I'm in big trouble if she reveals what's on that tape. I guess that's makes her next on my list! She'll regret the day she tried to blackmail me!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) The Big Server  
><strong>

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 300/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

**Effect: This card can attack your opponent directly. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent, you can add 1 "Service Ace" from your Deck to your hand. If you do, your opponent draws 1 card.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	19. Midnight Blues

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

**(A/N): "Be sure to check out my newest story if any of you are interested..."**

* * *

><p>The next week began as usual yet not as usual as any other. During his mail route, Jason was on his way from the Obelisk boy's dorm to deliver their load. However a clamor of voices lead him astray and walked past the obelisk dorm towards the main building. After walking past a few bushes, he found a group of students standing around in a large circle of students. Unfortunately its was in not time at all to be caught in a certain teacher's line of sight.<p>

"Jason Hutchins! Where have you been?!" Crowler shouted at him, turning the attention of the entire class towards him.

"Um, I was just—"

"Don't even bother!" Crowler snapped back, "Because there's no excuse for coming late to my class you lazy, good-for-nothing, pathetic slacker!" his sudden outburst cause quite a scene among the students here, but the Obelisk headmaster has tried to direct it all on Jason. "Just what have you been doing that's you think is more important that your studies?!"

"I-I was in the middle of delivering—"

"Never interrupt me, Slifer!"

"B-but you asked me—"

"Don't change the subject! Such a bad attitude! Why can't you be more like Miss Nomura here?" Crowler gestured towards the black-haired Obelisk girl, who stood outside of the circle near him, sporting a smug grin on her face. "She knows to get to class on time, as well as follow proper etiquette and keep up to date on her studies! Unlike most slifers slackers, a recent few whose names will not be mentioned *cough-cough* _Kaitou_ *cough-cough* _Tanaka_ *cough-cough* oh, excuse me! You see? Your tardiness even made my throat sore!"

"Yet another fine examples why Slifers are no good in this academy! Every good duelist knows to show up to class on time! Now go to my office! You'll be pulling detention for the rest of the week!"

"But I still got—"

"Talking back, are you? We can make it two weeks! Now go!" Jason groaned in defeat and sulked to the main building.

* * *

><p>The black-haired slifer once again found himself in the Obelisk headmaster's office. It's not even noon and already he's in trouble. One misunderstanding was all it took to trap him behind a small desk with a stack of paper in front of him, most of these he already scored well on. Sometimes Jason wonders if Crowler just wants to make him suffer…<p>

An eternity seemed to have passed before someone finally entered the bare office, "There you are, right where I left you. It's good to see you doing actual schoolwork for a change," Crowler said as he walked to his desk, "By the way, I'd like you to do me a favor…" Jason's eyes rose from his paper to him, curious, "I'm sure you've heard the rumors about these mysterious incidents as of late."

"Mysterious…" Jason shook his head, "No sir, I haven't."

"Oh. Well, students from Obelisk Blue are being attacked at night by someone calling himself the Duel Giant. And I need someone to investigate these incidents for me. And since you no doubt have nothing better to do…"

"I…appreciate the offer, but why me?"

"How about because I said so. I've been looking into your progress and I can see it obviously hasn't been up to snuff. I would like you to find this Duel Giant and duel him and, if you can, find out who he is."

"But if he duels only obelisk students, do you think he'd accept a duel from me?"

"Of course, because you're going to be dueling as an obelisk," Jason was taken aback as Crowler reached under his desk and presented him a blue blazer, neatly folded, "Wear this tonight. That way, he won't tell the difference. Consider this an honor, Mr. Hutchins. You get to be an honorary Obelisk Blue for the rest of the day. Just keep this between us."

Jason accepted the gift, trying to process this moment taking place. "This…thank you."

"Oh, and one more thing…" Crowler also gave a few cards to Jason, "These are for your troubles. Let this be out little secret."

"Oh. Thank you again."

"Don't mention it," Crowler grinned, "Seriously, don't. You're free to go now."

"Okay. Again, thank you." Jason took the okay to walk out of the office.

"You already said that, and, you're quite welcome. Do me proud, my boy!" Crowler waited for Jason to disappear from his office before dropping his cheerful facade, replacing it with his trademark sinister grin.

'Won't he be in for a surprise! I just sent him on a one-way trip! And this time, there's no winner! …Except for me of course!' he because so excited he didn't even noticed he was laughing villainously, until he caught himself coughing, "I really need to stop doing that…"

* * *

><p>After classes Jason walked straight on to the Slifer's dorm to think about what to do about tonight. He was a stair's flight away from the upper deck before he heard a small tussle from below.<p>

"You got all the time you need to think about your actions!" Anais' voice can be heard, "Because starting tomorrow, your days in Duel Academy are over!" Jason looked over the rails to see the school's disciplinarian march out from the dorm territory.

"It's a dark day for Slifer Red," Jason jumped when the presence of Calypso suddenly appeared right next to him, with her pet turtle perched on her shoulder. "I almost feel bad for whoever's room Anais stomped out of."

"Do…you know what's going on?" Jason asked, but his tone was quieter.

"Oh, don't you know? Slifers are being expelled left and right for breaking curfew. Apparently they're being conned into dueling late and night and eventually got caught. Now not only will they be out a few rare cards, they'll also have to look forward to tomorrow's boat ride back to the mainland."

Hearing that, Jason decided to ask for advice, "Do you think the Duel Giant has something to do with this…?"

Calypso turned and leaned back against the railing. "Perhaps. You wouldn't be planning on sneaking out and playing the hero, are you? We both know how it went down last time."

"I gotta go. I have some stuff to do." Jason excused himself and left for somewhere else.

"He clearly doesn't know what he's getting himself into…" Calypso mused.

* * *

><p>Jason lay against a large tree a distance from the Slifer dorm. He ignored the waves crashing against the cliff below as he stared at the still-packaged obelisk uniform.<p>

This all seemed suspicious to him. First Crowler got him into trouble only to get him to help out on a problem that wasn't the Slifer's problem. Now that he thought back, Crowler only said this problem's affecting only obelisk students. If that's true then why would the Duel Giant target slifer students? Why not ra students too? This is a lot to take in. Maybe he should focus on one thing at a time.

* * *

><p>The sun gone down a long time ago and it's almost time to go out. The uniform he was given was almost a perfect fit. It's a size or two too big but he feels its fine. He couldn't see for himself because there's no mirror apart from the one in the communal bathroom downstairs.<p>

It's been occurring to him for a while, but why isn't Calypso back yet? It's been a week or three since she began returning to their room late at night. Maybe if he runs into her tonight's, she could elaborate.

Before Jason walked out the door, his PDA suddenly vibrated on his bed. He picked it up and found a new message in his inbox. Upon opening it, it reads:

_"Want a chance to obtain a powerful, rare card to improve your deck? Go to the forest at midnight for a duel you will never forget. This is an invite-only opportunity. Go alone or you will be turned away."_

There's no one's signature on it, just like last time. They must not want to be discovered. This must be from the Duel Giant. This must be how the trap was set for the students. But if Jason can manage to unmask this character, then this whole thing could stop. He just hoped he's ready…

* * *

><p>A few minutes passed and it was close to midnight. Jason has been walking through the forest and there was still no sign of life besides himself. They didn't exactly give him a specific location, so how was he supposed to find the giant?<p>

The answer came to him like a sign when he spotted a brightly-glowing monument of stone over the treetops. The spot it rose from doesn't seem to be that far away. Jason was thankful to not keep wandering and ran until he reached the site. Although by the time he made it there, the statue disappeared.

What stood in its place is a duel in progress. A slifer student was standing on one side but his opponent appeared unlike any normal academy student, wearing a purple suit over a blue cape with their black hair pulled back into a ponytail. A white plaster mask designed with a gold medallion over their left eye was concealing their identity. And by the way they were standing over the slifer, they had already won over him.

Jason ran over to the lost student, "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I lost…he took my card!" the student replied. He seemed to still be disquieted by his loss.

"I think you should go back," Jason insisted, "I can take it from here."

"But I didn't stand a chance against that guy!" the slifer argued, "Could you do any better?!"

Jason looked away in wonder before returning his eyes to the slifer, "I guess we'll find out in a minute…" he stood up and glared at the stranger. "Are you the Duel Giant?!"

A distorted chuckle escaped from under the mask, "What you call me doesn't matter. What does matter is that I take your rarest card off your hands," he raised his duel-disk, "Just like I did with that slifer over there."

Jason groaned as he readied his own duel-disk and looked towards the slifer, "I can keep him busy. Can you go back to the dorm and get help for me?"

"But what about you?" the slifer asked in worry.

Jason gave an assuring nod, "Trust me; please. I'll be alright."

"Okay, but just be careful! When I dueled him, he uses a—"

"I rather you not spoil the surprise, slifer…" the masked duelist held a card into view, "Unless you want your prized card torn to shreds." The slifer student shirked at the treat of one of his own cards being destroyed, even thought it was no longer his anymore, "And you should think twice about tattling to your teacher!"

"I'll be alright. Just go!" Jason assured. The slifer nodded and ran off, leaving only Jason and the masked stranger.

"By the way, you're not fooling anyone with that cheap disguise. It just sickens me when slifer scum like you try to pass off as an obelisk."

"Let's just duel." Jason said.

"Are you in that much of a hurry to lose your rarest card? Fine by me." Both duelists drew their starting hand, "And by the way, you can write it out to Sol!"

**Jason: 4000**

**Sol: 4000**

"I'm going first!" Jason quickly took the first turn and drew his sixth card.

"No manners; typical." Sol jeered, but Jason brushed it off.

"I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode!" the female flame heroine appeared (ATK: 1300), "Next, I place one card face-down and end my turn. Then, when Lady Heat's effect activates, she can inflict 200 points of damage for each hero monster on my field!" Lady Heat tossed a ball of fire at Sol, who blocked it with his duel-disk.

**Jason: 4000**

**Sol: 3800**

"So you made your first strike on your first turn. Effective, but an amateur move," Sol taunted as he drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Lightning Vortex!" Sol discarded a card from his hand before the sky rumbled shortly after, "By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, all face-up monsters on your field are instantly destroyed!" light flashed from the sky as Lady Heat was suddenly struck by bolts of lightning, destroying the heroine, "And that leaves your field open for attack! But don't worry, no attack for you…" Sol sets a card face-down and concluded. "Not yet, anyway."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'Doesn't he have a monster in his hand? He must be setting a trap…' "I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge!" the miniature ice hero appeared (ATK: 800), 'If I can destroy that card before he can use it, I shouldn't have anything to worry about…' "Ice Edge, attack!"

"I don't think so! I activate my trap card, Raigeki Break!" Sol opened his reverse-card, "And by sending a card from my hand to your graveyard, one card on the field is destroyed! So your Ice Edge goes bye-bye!" the card fired a bolt of electricity that destroyed Ice Edge. "That's two monsters down. Care to try again?"

Jason groaned, "I end my turn."

"Then it's my move, then," Sol drew his next card, "I activate the spell Graceful Charity! Now I can draw three more card, so long as I discard two from my hand," the masked duelist drew three more times before sending two cards from his hand to the graveyard, "Next, I activate the contunious-spell card, Ritual Cage!" a giant hexagonal symbol glowed on the ground near Sol's feet. "This card protects ritual monsters from being destroyed or targeted by monster effect! And that's perfect for my next move…" Sol whipped a card from his hand and played it, "I activate the ritual-spell card, Final Ritual of the Ancients!" upon the card's activation, a large stone slab rose over Sol's head, with a monster's carving etched on it.

"That's a ritual card?" Jason gasped silently, "But…there's no cards on the field and only one card in your hand! How are you going to ritual-summon without any monsters to tribute?"

"That's almost observant of you, even for a slifer," Sol said, "But you forgot the to look in the most obvious place!" Sol raised his duel-disk as his graveyard glowed an omninous purple. A mist formed from the crevice and became absorbed into the tablet. The carving bagan glowing a similar aura as it rose even higher, until it hovered far over the treetops. Suddenly it cracked and then shattered, releasing a blinding veil of light that soon took form. When the shape was decided, the light crumbled away to reveal its physical form.

Three orbs stood beside each other, colored blue, yellow and red. Several large pieces of stone hovered around it in the shape of body parts, a pair of arms and a skirt-like pedestal underneath while the upper torso, shoulders and head floated above. Together the formed a massive, regally-formed giant. "Meet (4) Reshef the Dark Being(8/ATK: 2500/DEF:1500)!"

"A ritual monster with 2500 ATK points…" Jason reviewed, "And somehow the monsters are used from the graveyard...?"

"I was wondering when you'd catch on. Yes, in my graveyard were monsters whose special-abilities allow them to be offered as sacrifices from beyond the grave," Sol removed the three monsters and showed them to Jason, "And that's not all; each of these monsters I sacrificed endowed Reshef with a special-ability of its own: from (1) Djinn Disserere of Rituals(1/ATK: 200/DEF: 200), Reshef becomes immune to traps. From (2) Djinn Presider of Rituals(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1400), I can draw a card every time Reshef destroys a monster. And finally, with (3) Djinn Releaser of Ritual(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 2000), you can't special-summon in Reshef's presence! That means no fusions! No Gaia, no Great Tornado, not even Absolute Zero can save you this time!"

"No fusion…" Jason gasped, and looked down at his cards, 'But a fusion could be my only chance against a monster like that!'

"No fusions," Sol confirmed, "And with no monsters on your field, Reshef can attack directly!" Reshef raised its arms as its three orbs glowed brighter, "Go, Wrath of the Ancients!" the orbs fired three beams of energy that shattered the ground around Jason, forcing him to cover his head with his duel-disk.

**Jason: 1500**

**Sol: 3800**

"That's all for this turn," Sol concluded, "And now the real battle begins. Let's see you try to keep up."

"My turn..." Jason drew his next card, "I set this card in DEF mode and end my turn." a reversed monster appeared.

"Finished already?" Sol scoffed as he drew his next card, "I'm not surprised. In the state you're in, you've pretty much lost already. I activate the spell Card of Sanctity," Sol drew an entire hand of six while Jason drew only two, "And with a new hand comes new power! Because now I equip Reshef with the Rod of Silence-Kay-est, to give him 500 extra DEF points and prevent him from being targeted by other spell cards!" the card came to life and a beam of light stretched out and reached the blue orb on Reshef. Now a decorative blue staff is inside and fortified its strength (DEF: 2000).

'If that equip-card protects Reshef from spells...' Jason reviewed and narrowed his eyes, 'Then I can't use monsters, spells or traps against him!' "But what can I use...?" the slifer unknowingly allowed that past part to slip out...

"There's nothing you can use against him! That's the idea!" Sol laughed, "You can't enchant it, you can't trap it, and even if you can use fusion my Reshef can easily shrug off whatever effects thrown at him. Face it, I'm in control of this duel! And with Reshef's special-ability, he's in control of one of your monsters!" Jason could only watch as Reshef's orbs shone brightly. His set monster suddenly vanished and reappeared on Sol's field, "As long as there's a spell in my hand I can discard, Reshef can take control of one of your monsters per turn. Now let's see what you were hiding..." the set monster rose, revealed as a Phantom Magician (ATK: 600), "Phantom Magician? What a waste of a monster; especially when you can't special-summon with Reshef on the field. Now to show you what a real monster is capable of! Reshef, attack!" the the orbs of the dark began began to glow.

"I activate my trap card, Enchanted Javelin!" Jason revealed his reverse-card, "Now my life-points increase by the monster's ATK when in battle!" the card fired a stylized spear at Reshef.

**Jason: 4000**

**Sol: 3800**

"And you still take the damage!" Sol said, as Reshef fired and erased the javelin before making its target.

**Jason: 1500**

**Sol: 3800**

"And while I'm at it, I'll have my Phantom Magician attack you as well!" the Phantom Magician fired a blast of dark energy from its staff.

**Jason: 900**

**Sol: 3800**

"Delaying the inevitable; that's pretty much what you slifers are good for. I guess I'll end my turn and let you have you measly magician back." Phantom Magician returned to Jason's side. "Maybe you'll summon something stronger that's actually worth taking! But knowing your kind, there's nothing you have that can protect you against Reshef."

'I don't want to believe it but...' Jason groaned as he had to power through his negative thoughts, 'He may be right. Even if I do have something strong enough to last against that Dark Being, that guy would just take it with its special-ability,' he glanced over at tone of his stronger cards, 'Even my strongest defense, the Millennium Shield, wouldn't stand a chance against that effect! So what should I do...?' he looked up at the massive monster, 'There's gotta be a weakness in his strategy! But can I find it?'

"Hurry up and draw already!" Sol called impatiently, "Or are you just now giving up?!"

'I better hurry and figure this out! But I still have to worry about working my way around Reshef's ability...' "It's my turn," Jason drew his next card and looked at it, 'Maybe this could work...' "I activate the magic card Swords of Revealing Light!" several particles of light scattered around Reshef before shifting into large swords, "You said Reshef can't be directly affected by magic cards! But what there's magic affecting him indirectly?"

"Once again you're delaying your own defeat!" Sol taunted.

'We'll see...' "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in DEF mode!" the merman hero appeared, "Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's about time," Sol drew his next card, "I activate the continuous-spell card, Banner of Courage!" the card came to life and a beam of light entered Reshef, who now has a colorful banner in its yellow orb, "During the battle-phase, all monsters on my field gain 200 ATK points! But since I can't attack because of those swords, I'll just end my turn and wait it out!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Ocean's special-ability and return an Elemental Hero back to my hand!" he added a card from his graveyard slot, "Next, I summon the Elemental Hero Ice Edge back to the field!" the ice-armored hero returned (ATK: 800), "Next I activate his special-ability: by sending one card from my hand tot he graveyard, Ice Edge can attack you directly!" Ice Edge fired a flurry of ice crystals that successfully hit Sol.

**Jason: 900**

**Sol: 3000**

"I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Sol drew his next card, "I activate Reshef's special-ability and take control of your Elemental Hero Ocean!" Ocean switched from Jason's side of the field and Sol's, "Next I activate the spell card Linear Accelerator Cannon! Now I can release you Ocean and take half of its ATK points out of your life-points!" Ocean was absorbed into the card and what then forced out as a blast of energy.

**Jason: 150**

**Sol: 3000**

"Did you really think your safe behind your swords?" Sol laughed, "Your dueling is so transparent I can see a myriad of ways to take you out! Are you sure you don't wanna quit and had over your rarest card?"

"...No. It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down. Next, I send one card from my hand to the graveyard to have Ice Edge attack again!" the ice hero fired another flurry of crystals.

**Jason: 150**

**Sol: 2200**

"I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Sol drew his next card, "And I activate Reshef's ability once again! By sending one spell card to the graveyard I can take control of your Ice Edge!"

"I activate my trap card, Spiritual Water Art-Aoi!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "By releasing a water-attribute monster on my field, I can look into your hand and discard one of your cards!" Sol snarled under his mask as the cards in his hand flashed, and appeared in front of Jason to see. The cards were Brain Control, Catapult Turtle and Monster Gate. Jason chose Catapult Turtle duel to the fact that Sol could deal half of a released monster's ATK points as damage. And he needed what little life-points he had.

"Congratulations, you just bought yourself another extra turn," Sol taunted, "But I don't see any point in resisting any longer. You have a useless magician on your field while my mighty Reshef still reigns supreme! Your swords will go out at the end of my turn, and after that I'll end this. Face it, there's no way our for you but defeat!"

"Wait a minute!" Jason called out, "I gotta know something...!"

Sol scoffed behind his mask, "It's too late to beg for mercy. You should've just gave me your rarest card and walked out of here."

"It's not that. I just gotta know something: why are you targeting the slifer and obelisk duelists? I don't know what's going on, but there's got to be some reason you're doing this. So what is it?" Jason waited for a reply but Sol stood silently, "Well...?"

"Well..." Sol looked away, "Since you're so curious, I guess I'll humor you," he returned his gaze at Jason, "You're only half-right, though. It's not the obelisks I'm after; it's just you slifers."

Just slifers?! Then why did Crowler say there were only obelisks instead...? Jason then asked, "Is there ever even a Duel Giant?!"

"Your 'Duel Giant' is a completely different person. But he's none of your business right now. In fact, I'm sure he's still on the hunt as we speak. But I'll make sure to catch him after I deal with you. I can't let him keep running around making fun of us?"

"Us...? Wait, do you mean you're an obelisk duelist? Who are you?!"

Sol chuckled, "I guess there's no harm..." he raised his free hand and pulled his make down. Even in the darkness, Jason could make out the duelist's real face; and he was the last person Jason would expect to run into...

"Xiki...Nomora?" those words escaped from Jason's mouth. The very person standing in front of him in the purple suit and blue cape was indeed one of Obelisk Blue's most brutal duelists. "What it this all about? Why are you targeting slifer duelist?"

"There's no particular reason. Maybe I like picking you slifers off in the dead of night. I'd like to think of this as a sort of late-night hobby."

"A hobby?"

"Everyone needs a hobby. Mine just happens to be collecting cards that are better off with someone more deserving. So I had help setting up this simple, yet elaborate trap. And each of you mucks walked right into it!"

Jason lowered his head, "You also told on the people you dueled the day after, didn't you."

"My, aren't you clever. Yeah, I tipped off Anais from time to time; but that's just a bonus. Oh, and in case you're wondering who blew the whistle on you and your friends when you went into that abandoned dorm, that was me."

'So that's what happened!' Jason cursed as he grit his teeth, 'She lures out slifers with false promises, steals their cards and then brought a faculty member to them. She must be wearing that mask as a disguise to avoid suspicion...'

"You know, as much as I like to stand here all night and chat, I do have better things to do. Remember there's still a duel? And since it's the end of my turn, the effect of your swords wears off." the group of glowing swords dissipated from around Reshef. "You might wanna make this next turn count."

"Wait!" Jason interrupted.

"What now?" Xiki sighed impatiently.

"I think it's time we add to the stakes! Instead of betting just one card, I stake my entire deck in taking back all the rare cards you stole!"

"It's my turn..." Jason drew his next card and looked at it...

"Didn't draw the card you needed, huh? I expected as much..."

"The card I drew is Spell-Shattering Arrow!" Jason slid the card into his duel-disk, "This magic card destroys all other magic cards that are face-up on your field! And you take 500 points of damage for each one!" a series of glowing arrows shot through Reshef and its three orbs, destroying the contents from inside. The arrows then changed their direction and dropped around Xiki.

**Jason: 150**

**Sol (Xiki): 700**

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Knopse in ATK mode!" the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "Then I equip her with Scroll of Bewitchment and use her ability to attack directly!" Knospe's petals glowed a bright orange as she fired a series of flaming seeds at Xiki.

**Jason: 150**

**Sol (Xiki): 100**

"A good move, but you left out 100 life-points!" Xiki scoffed, "You wasted your one chance attacking with a weed using a useless equip-spell!"

"I still have one face-down card left! I activate Spritual Fire Art-Hiita!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "When I used Scroll of Bewitchment on Elemental Hero Knospe, I changed her attribute to FIRE!"

"But that means..." Xiki's face began to pale.

"Since Spiritual Fire Art needs a fire-attribute monster to use its effect, I can release Knospe to inflict damage equal to her ATK points!" Knospe became absorbed into the card before she shot back out in a large fireball, knocking herself into the obelisk and the obelisk off her feet.

**Jason: 150**

**Sol (Xiki): 0**

"I don't believe it!" Xiki whimpered, still on the ground, "I had the perfect strategy! But this runt actually won..."

"I think you remember out deal," Jason stopped in front of him, "Now I want you to keep your promise and give back the cards you stole."

Xiki only looked down without a reply. But that silence turned to laughter. What could she be laughing about?

"I could do that, but the thing is, I don't have any cards to give back!"

"Don't lie to me. You took them, now where are they?"

"Closer than you think," the obelisk snickered, "I heard you got a few new cards from Crowler. And since you're no good at subtleties, I'll just go ahead and say it: they're the same cards that I took!" she stood up as Jason backed away in shock, "What? Don't believe me? Tell me, did he give you a Grand Master Sasuke? How about an Alligator Sword? Or a Strike Ninja?" Jason hurriedly pulled out the cards he was given and looked over them. And to his horror, those same cards were among them. "See? You were just a puppet the whole time!" the slifer felt his legs give up on him as he dropped to his knees. Why didn't he see any of this coming? He felt like such an idiot, "You see, as much as we want the Duel Giant out of the picture, he also wanted a few choice slifers out as well. So Crowler decided to get rid of two birds with one stone. While you were sent off on your fake crusade, he bribed Jaden and his little crew to looking for the real Duel Giant. And since the giant duels using an ante rule..."

"Like when you did with Syrus..." Jason muttered, eyes still on the grass.

"And I'm still sore that I got cheated. But you know something, it won't matter who wins, because once your friend Jaden goes back to Crowler with the giant's identity, he'll just kick them both out for betting their cards!" Xiki strolled past him, "As for you, you get to be kicked out a slightly different way. If not by playing an ante duel or breaking curfew, then by stealing! All those are more than enough to justify permanent expulsion!"

"So those cards were planted on me, just so I could take the blame..."

"It's about time that tiny brain of yours figured it out. That's right! All those cards _I_ won from slifers, were the same cards Crowler gave _you_, just so _we_ can pin it all on _you_! We played you like a church organ just so Crowler can get you off the island, and I can get my hand on all those rare cards you got! And you better believe those cards will be in better hands with you gone!"

"I don't think so, Xiki Nomura!"

The obelisk's blood grew cold at the sound of the new voice. Both her and Jason turned tot he source to see Anais marching over. "Uh, wait, this isn't what-"

"Not. One. Word." the jackal-eared faculty growled, "I heard your ranting long before I found you. And you have a lot to answer for."

"But what about him?!" Xiki pointed at Jason, "He's breaking curfew and playing with an ante rule!"

"I'll deal with that after I deal with you! Now I want you both back to your dorms! We'll talk about it first thing in the morning!"

"But-"

"I said go!"

That outburst did it for the obelisk as she sulked away, but not before stealing a glare from Jason. "This isn't over..."

"You go back too, Jason," Anais advised, "Because you have a lot to explain yourself." as Anais walked Xiki back, Jason nodded and returned to his quarters as well.

The slifer grew tired and was glad when he reached his dorm room and closed the door behind him. He threw off the exterior clothes that dropped to the floor and fell on the bottom bunk, not even caring why he's the only one in there...

"No! I'm not going back there! You can't make me!" but his cries fell on deaf ears as the dark claimed him and spirited him away within the confines of the Book of Lost Millennium, which Calypso closed shut.

"Sheesh, I thought he'd never shut up," Calypso sighed in relief, "These souls are harder to find; and harder to take back. And not that I care, but the less people know about this, the less people in my way, the better." with her task complete, she strolled idly on back to her quarters...

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Djinn Disserere of Rituals  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 1 (ATK: 200/DEF: 200)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Effect: When you Ritual Summon a monster, you can banish this card from your Graveyard as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon. The monster Ritual Summoned using this card is unaffected by Trap effects.**

**(2) Djinn Presider of Rituals  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1400)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Effect: When you Ritual Summon a monster, you can banish this card from your Graveyard as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon. If the monster Ritual Summoned using this card destroys a monster by battle, the controller of the Ritual Monster draws 1 card.**

**(3) Djinn Releaser of Rituals  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Effect: When you Ritual Summon a monster, you can banish this card from your Graveyard as 1 of the monsters required for the Ritual Summon. If a player Ritual Summons using this card, the other player cannot Special Summon while that Ritual Summoned monster is face-up on the field.**

**(4) Reshef the Dark Being  
><strong>

**Stats: [Fiend/Ritual/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: LIGHT  
><strong>

**Effect:** **This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, "Final Ritual of the Ancients". Once per turn, by discarding 1 Spell Card from your hand, take control of 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field until the end of this turn.**

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	20. Damon of the Jungle

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>The very next morning after last night's events, Jason was escorted towards the principal's office where the principal himself and Doctor Crowler were waiting. After briefing them on what happened the night after, Sheppard sent one of them outside the door so the other could tell their side of the story. After both Jason and Xiki got their word in, it was them Crowler's turn.<p>

"Yes, I figured since Jason hasn't been doing anything productive lately that I gave him this little assignment," Crowler explained, "Although I do remember telling him to investigate, not duel."

"Speaking of dueling, Xiki told me that you gave Jason a few cards that turned out to be stolen from various Slifer Red students," Shepard said, "Care to explain that?"

"Right, about her…I had nothing to do with Xiki's actions last night. It appears this girl merely mistaken Jason for this rumored Duel Giant. He probably wandered into the Obelisk Girl's territory and Xiki saw him that night. I guess it's my fault for not reminding him that some places are still off-limits…"

"What about those cards?" Anais mentioned, "If you're uninvolved does that mean Xiki was lying during that late-night duel? She even recited some of the cards that were reported stolen."

"The giant is infamous for targeting Obelisk Blues. It would make sense that she would make some sort of bluff to corner him. As for these cards you're referring to, she's probably talking about the cards I confiscated form a few uncooperative student. I do remember her being seated near those students."

"Are you buying this?" Sheppard glanced over to Anais.

"No I don't," the disciplinarian stated, "So Xiki was lying about finding those student out at night? Merely false accusations?"

"Seems that way. But don't worry, she's one of my students so I will punish her accordingly."

"I don't think so!" Anais hit her staff on the floor, "You're under suspicion for being involved in all of this. I'm not trusting you with Xiki Nomura."

"She has a point, Doctor Crowler," Sheppard said, "I'm sorry, but you can't exactly be trusted after doing such things without our consent first. I'll have Anais sort this out. In the meantime, you three need to go back to class. Can I at least trust you to do that?"

"Well, when you put it like that, it does make sense," Crowler forced a grin and stood up and backed away towards the door, "So if we're done here, I have lots of papers to grade, so…I'll be seeing you later." The obelisk headmaster quickly shut the door behind him, where the two students were still standing next to the door. Crowler dropped his smile and scowled at them. "You nearly got me in a heap of trouble!" he pointed at Jason, "You! You're off the hook. Get to class!" not expecting to stick around near two obelisks or long, Jason hurried off and left Xiki with the headmaster, "And you! Come to my office! We need to talk!"

* * *

><p>Jason was relieved that he wasn't going to get punished. He still wondered what exactly will happen to Xiki and Crowler, he pushed it into the back of his minds as he went quietly through his classes. Even thought it felt weird he found schoolwork actually relaxing from what he had to go through lately. It all lasted until canteen time, where he sat aside at the card shop, which he realized had doubled as a break area. He sat on one of the tables while most students came here for a bite. It's not that he didn't bring his own lunch; it was because it's Sandwich Day today.<p>

Students gathered around (Slifers and Ras mostly) each taking a small package from it and grabbed a sandwich from inside. But after one bite they usually make a face like they're about to be sick. That's why Jason would rather not take anything from that bin: some sandwiches are more likely to have something in them that were better off not said.

"Isn't Sandwich Day just the greatest?" Jaden beamed, looking over the bin with Syrus near him, "All these choices and not one of them labeled!"

"How's that the greatest?" his roommate groaned, "There are Ostrich Burgers and Grilled Tongue Sandwiches, or over half a dozen other mystery meals that aren't exactly tasty."

"Yeah, but there's one good one, compliments of that magical rooster that lays the golden egg!"

"That's crazy talk, Jaden. Everyone knows roosters can't lay eggs."

"Look, the point is that Eggwich is delish! And well worth routing through all those other nasty items to get it!"

"I thought I'd find you here, Jason," the black-haired slifer looked up to see Chakra taking her seat at the table he was on. "So, have you been taking my advice lately?"

Rock can be seen taking a bite out of a sandwich he opened and went sprinting to the nearest fountain, "I am, but not yet." Jason nodded and returned to watching the bin.

"Good luck with that. It's been five weeks since you've been able to draw it." Syrus said as Jaden ripped open a bag and took a bite of his sandwich. But his face turned green after he found out what it was.

"Grilled Tongue!" He gagged as he was forced to swallow.

"Better a bad draw here than during a duel?" the two slifers turned to see Alexis at the door with a handful of open sandwiches.

"I get it, Alexis! You took the Golden Eggwich so you can have lunch with me." Jaden asked mischievously.

That comment caused Alexis to blush, "I did no such thing! I-I was just practicing my draws!"

"Sure you were…"

"_Yeah_, I _was_!"

"It's true, Jaden, she _didn't_ draw the eggwich," Ms. Dorothy walked up to the small group, "In fact during the past five week, no one has; at least no one I know. Someone must be sneaking in and stealing them."

"Hold it, stop the presses!" Hearing that, Rock came rushing back to the bin with his face drenched with as much concern as there was water, "Please tell me you didn't say what I think I thought you said!"

"That thief must be really good to be able to draw it week after week." Syrus stated.

"It's true. None of the other sandwiches are opened," Ms. Dorothy bowed her head in shame, "Anyway, I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's not your fault, Ms. Dorothy," Jaden consoled the shop's owner, "It's the that eggwich thief's fault. Which is why, we're gonna do something about it!"

"Wait, we are?" Syrus asked.

"Yep. We're going on sandwich stakeout, 24/7!" Jaden declared.

"Jason and I can help if you need any." Chakra insisted.

"Huh? Wait, why do I have to go?" Jason asked.

"We can meke it into a study date," Chakra explained, "There's no better time like then."

"What about me?" Rock asked, "I mean, I'm not doing anything…"

"Sure thing! The more the merrier!" Jaden agreed.

* * *

><p>Later that night the group waited in Dorothy's office behind the card shop for the thief to appear. Jaden, Rock, Jason and Chakra sat around a lunch table playing cards that for once aren't Duel Monsters, with Syrus and Chumley on the sidelines. Some players have more cords than others, but one was close to winning. That was when Chakra pulled a card from her hand and tossed it into the pile.<p>

"Uno: Reverse-Green." Chakra said proudly, while her neighboring player groaned as he had to keep waiting for his next turn. A whole round later she slapped her last card into the pile. "Uno Out; I win again." that caused the remaining players to groan louder as the next player from her was forced to draw four cards from her Wild/Draw Four card.

"That's the eighth time in a row!" Rock moaned as he slapped the cards down with the others, "I'll never be good at Uno…"

"I never thought there'd come a time that I wished for an empty hand!" Jaden complained.

"_I_ can't believe there isn't a sport made out of this!" Chumley said, "You look like you could go pro in this!"

"Yeah, how'd you get so good?" Syrus asked.

"Thank you, but I'm not that good," Chakra blushed, "The goal of the game is to be the first to clean out your hand. It's these action-card that makes it more interesting," she then explained, "Each action-card has their own way of disrupting another player from reaching that goal. The 'Reversal' card changes the course of the players' turn cycle to the opposite direction. So if one player puts it in play, the player that would normally go next would have to wait another round to discard, while the player that went before can get another turn."

"Wait, so that 'player that went before' gets an earlier turn," Jaden pointed out, "Won't that give him the advantage?"

"Not if that player has a large hand," Chakra rebuts, "The 'Reversal' can also prevent a player from emptying their hand. So if the next player happens to have fewer cards, they'll have to wait an entire round for a chance to discard that card. That opens a window of opportunity to force them to draw more cards. That's what the 'Draw 2' card's for: it can add two more cards to the next player's hand to keep it occupied. Same goes for the 'Wild: Draw 4' card."

"'Wild' changes color, right?" Syrus said, "Is there any secret behind that?"

"It's no secret if you know how to use it," Chakra continued her lecture, "The type of card you can discard limits to sharing a similar color or number to the top card of the discard pile. Any player can pass their turn whether they want to, or have to. In the latter case, that can be the key to determining what colors your fellow players _don't_ have. That's where the 'Wild' card can come in handy. By changing the color the player's can discard, you can have an easier time discarding your hand, this making it easier to be the first one to make your hand empty."

"Wow, my brain hurts…" Rock sighed, scratching his head.

"So, guys…" Chumley said, deciding to change the subject, "When this sandwich thief comes around, you think he'll have anything on him?"

"For the last time, Chumley, the guy steals egg sandwiches, not grilled cheese," Jaden then turned to Alexis, who had her back turned in front of a desk. "Tell him, Alexis."

"It's true, Chum." Alexis replied, disinterested as she kept her eyes on her book she's reading.

"Hey, what's 'Lex doing over there, anyhow?" Jaden whispered to the rest of the group.

"Homework, no doubt." Chakra answered when the others just shrugged.

"Who wants some stake-out snacks?" Ms. Dorothy came in with a tray and set them on the table. "Here, dig in."

"Grilled cheese?" Chumley asked hopefully until she saw what's on the tray, "Aww, what are those?"

"My special stuffed pastries, three kinds. We have strawberry, chocolate and lemon custard as well."

"Wow, thanks, Ms. Dorothy." Syrus said.

"Which smells most like grilled cheese?" Chumley asked.

"Wait!" Jaden interrupted, "We should draw, and try to pick what we want. I want strawberry."

"Wait, you want to draw pastries like cards?"

"That's a good idea." Syrus said.

"Go for it, Jaden." Alexis encouraged.

"Alright, wish me luck…" Jaden reached out for the nearest one. When taking a single bite, his eyes lit up, "Strawberry!"

"And on your first try too, Jaden," Syrus said, "Way to go!"

"It's good to know I still got it! You know, for when we get that eggwich back! I can almost taste it already!"

After nearly everyone had a pastry, out of a total of twelve, there were six left and Jason was the last to get one, "So Jason, which one would you rather have?" Chakra asked.

"Chocolate…" Jason answered and bit into it.

"…Well?"

Jason swallowed, "Chocolate."

"Wow, you're almost as lucky as I am!" Jaden honored.

"Actually, luck had nothing to do with it," Chakra started another small lecture, "You see, out of the six that were left there were two strawberry, two lemon and four chocolate pastries. So after crunching the numbers, the odds clearly favored getting a chocolate pastry."

Something was heard being knocked over outside and everyone halted.

"Looks like he's here…" Alexis whispered, "Hide!"

Ms. Dorothy turned off the lights as everyone went into their hiding places. More noise was made outside as they slipped out and peered through a one-way window.

"It's the eggwich thief…" Jaden whispered. They saw the closed sheetmetal door being pulled up by physical means that should be impossible. Someone was actually lifting up the curtain with little difficulty.

"He's an animal!" Syrus whispered as the person crawled under the gap they made for themselves and lurked over towards the sandwich bin.

"NOW!" Jaden shouted as the lights turned on and he and the others cornered the intruder, which they saw a large, muscular man with shaggy long hair and wore ripped khakis. "Stop, you thief!"

"Put the eggwich down!" Syrus order.

The thief let out a loud yet infamous holler before he charged out with the bin in tow, ripping a large hole through the metal curtain, "Woah! After him!" Jaden lead a charge after the thief that took them outside at one of the rooftops, "That guy can really move!" but the thief didn't stop and jumped off. The others stopped and were forced to watch him swing on vines through the forest below.

"Finally we can stop running…!" Chumley panted.

"Oh no we can't! We gotta close him off or we'll never get those eggwiches back!"

* * *

><p>The prosperous thing was that the thief kept yelling melodically so he wasn't hard to track. The group found a shortcut around the forest and was fortunate to spot the thief coming from the woods.<p>

"Hey, this might be bad timing but…look our for that—" but Rock trailed off as the thief flew over and landed over them before running off, "Never mind…" the chase continued until the stopped near a waterfall, where the thief latched on and climbed the slippery slopes from behind.

"Now can we stop…?" Chumley huffed.

"Just who on earth is this guy?!" Jaden wondered.

"DAMON!" the thief stopped as the students saw Ms. Dorothy finally catching up.

"You know him?" Jaden asked.

"Take you time to answer…" Chumley wheezed, "I need a break."

"Yes, I know him…" Ms. Dorothy said, "And he know better than stealing!"

When the thief peeked over his shoulder he lost his grip and fell to the bottom. The group ran over and he shot up from the river, "My, you've changed."

"I changed," the man replied in a gruff voice, "I change for better…"

"Not your grammar."

"How'd you know him, Ms. Dorothy?"

"Where else? From school," Dorothy answered, "He used to be an Obelisk Blue." The others gasped and looked back at the stranger.

"Boy, they really had chill dress code back then, huh?"

"No, he looked different back then. But then he just disappeared. I was so sad, because he was one of my favorites; always visiting me in the card shack, especially on Sandwich Days. Oh, how he loved trying to pick a good sandwich. Shame he was so bad at it." By the time she finished, they helped Damon out of the river and he was sitting on a large rock.

"But this guy's always picking the good one are you sure it's the same person?" that earned a chuckle from Damon. Soon he stood up and laughed.

"Not same person. I new person now. I live in the nature. I hone my skills."

"Well, why'd you leave?"

"When I Obelisk, I test good; but when come to duel, Damon had some degree of difficulty. My draw ruin me, each time! So I decide I must improve! I do everything I could think of! I one day call out to horizon, but no answer. Nothing happen. Only waves go back and forth, back and forth. Always back and forth. Then, hit me!"

"Uh, you want me to hit you?"

"No! _It_ hit me! Just like I know what come next in wave, I realize I can know what comes next in cards. Must simply be in tune with nature. This why I live out here. To train. To learn. To be at one with nature. To be at one, with the draw. I very very good. But still, only one way for I to be sure; ultimate test: draw eggwiches. This is why I take them these past week…not because I thief!" Damon hid his face away and started crying.

"We understand…" Ms. Dorothy said sympathetically.

"I don't!" Jaden dejected, "Look, don't get me wrong, Damon. I don't think you're a thief anymore, but…"

"But…?"

"But this..." the brown-haired slifer smiled, "I like those eggwiches as much as the next guy, so let's duel. I win, you stop swiping 'em. You win, they're all your."

"I would agree, Jaden," Chakra said, "The problem is, you're not part of the equation."

"Huh? Whaddaya mean?"

The silver-haired obelisk turned from one slifer to the other, "How about it, Jason?"

"Huh? Why me?" Jason asked, pointing at himself.

"Why not? I did say we're having a study date," Chakra explained, "And Damon has been training for the past year, right? So what better test than a duel?"

"Yeah, but I called it first!" Jaden cut in, "So I should get to duel."

"I don't really see a duel-disk on you."

"So? It's just a skip away from my room; I can just get it and come back here!" Jaden pointed out, but was refuted when Chakra brought out a duel-disk of her own.

"Let the record show I got it before you." Chakra smirked, then handed the duel-disk to Jason, "So how about it?"

"I…really appreciate what you're doing for me but…" Jason trailed off, "I don't want to be rude but…don't know how to say this…"

"How to say what?"

Rock joined in the conversation as he raise his hand, "I think he means the last time you recommended Jason for a duel, he was beat my a monkey, and got smacked around by a bunch of guys with guns."

"I thought we agreed never to speak of this again…" Jason muttered with his head hung low.

"So that's what it's about? Jason, there's nothing to worry about. Even if you lose, the worst we'd lose if a few sandwiches. Besides, this is a learning experience. Think of this as tonight's homework. All you have to do is duel, nothing more."

"If you say so…" Jason said and slipped the duel-disk on, then facing Damon.

"So you be my opponent?" Damon smirked, "Fine. But I expert drawer. There no way you can beat me." He reached out from behind the rock and retrieved his own duel-disk. Soon everyone backed away for space as both Damon and Jason drew their starting hand. "It on. Now let's see how quick you are; on the draw!"

**Damon: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I'm going first…" Jason drew his first card, "I summon Phantom Magician in ATK mode!" the skeletal magician appeared (ATK: 600), 'By playing a weak monster in ATK mode, maybe I can draw him out and reveal some kind of strategy. Then I'll have a better chance…' "I end my turn."

'Gutsy move…' Chakra thought, 'He must've figured out that playing a set monster would arouse more suspicion. Playing a monster out in ATK mode might make tempting bait if you're hoping to lead your opponent into a trap.'

"Just as trees sway to and fro, I know what will come…" Damon then hollered as he drew, and leered at his card, "Yes. The nature has taught me well. I place card face-down. Then summon card I drew: (1) Drawler(3/ATK: ?/DEF: ?)!" with another holler he called a large golem-like steamroller onto his field (ATK: ?).

"What's that thing!?" Syrus gasped at the size of the thing.

"Not friendly." Chumley muttered.

"Now for every card in my hand that I return to deck, Drawler gain 500 ATK and DEF point. And I return four card from hand."

"That's all of 'em!" now it was Chumley's turn to gasp.

"Aw man, Drawler's totally decked out now." And Syrus' turn to mutter.

Drawler: (ATK: 2000)

"Drawler, attack Phantom Magician! Stone-Roll Wrecker!" Drawler began to move and literally rolled over the magician, the monster itself flat as paper before it floated away into pixels.

**Damon: 4000**

**Jason: 2600**

When Jason's deck began to glow from its bottom, Damon explained to the Slifer's confusion, "When Monster in ATK mode beat by Drawler, he no go to graveyard, he return to bottom of your deck. So you won't be able to use for long time. Now my turn end."

"So not only didn't he play his magician in DEF mode," Rock groaned, "He can't even summon another monster since it only works in the graveyard!"

"Well, it's not all bad," Chakra stated, getting the slifers' attention.

"What are you talking about?" Syrus asked.

"Chakra's right," Alexis aided, "It may have cost him a monster and almost half his points, but he did managed to draw out a powerful monster. And without a card in Damon's hand, all Jason has to do is play something stronger and he'll be in the lead."

"My turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down; and summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in DEF mode," the female fire hero appeared (DEF: 1000), "Next, I activate the magic card Double Summon! Normally you can only make a regular summon one per turn. But with this card I can make one more; so I summon Elemental Hero Voltic in DEF mode!" the violet lightning hero appeared (DEF: 1500).

"I don't think that what you mean by 'playing something stronger'." Rock said.

"Then I end my turn, which activates Lady Heat's effect and inflict 200 points of damage for each hero on my field!" Lady Heat tossed two fireballs at Damon.

**Damon: 3600**

**Jason: 2600**

"I activate trap. Go, Miracle Draw!" Damon's reverse-card opened, "This how work: before I make card-draw from deck, I announce what card I think I draw if I'm right, you take 1000 point damage. If I wrong, I take damage."

Syrus blinked, "So he's just guessing what card he's gonna draw?"

"I guess…" Chumley said.

"Man, that is one gutsy move!" Jaden admitted.

"No joke," Alexis added, "He's got almost forty cards in his deck, and he's going to guess the top one?"

"There's no way he can pull that off..." Rock said, "wait, could he?"

"Well, for someone who's willing to gamble on a guess, I'd say having three of a kind for each card in your deck would be a way to go. Even then the odd of Damon guessing the right would be 12 to 1 at best. But who knows, he might pull it off."

"No 'might'," Damon added to the commentary, "The snow not might melt! It will melt! And I will guess right!" the wild man closed his eyes for a few moments to meditate. After a short moment, they shot open, "Draw will be Card Loan!" he declared, and drew his card. Damon presented it to show that it was indeed the spell Card Loan.

"He was right?!"

"No way!"

"This guy is weirding me out!"

"Now you take 1000 point damage." Damon said as Jason's duel-disk emitted a current of electricity.

**Damon: 3600**

**Jason: 1600**

"Next, I activate Card Loan. You regain 1000 points, and I lose 1000 life-points."

**Damon: 2600**

**Jason: 2600**

"But then I get to draw one from deck," he drew another card, "And then I must return card to deck at the end of my turn."

"All that for just one draw?" Chumley wondered, unsure of that particular play.

"He must have a good hunch what it is…" Chakra said.

"Here's draw…" Damon glanced at the card, "I like! I activate Drawber, a spell card! Now you draw card, and I guess what it is! Is guess right, and all card in your hand and on your field go back to you deck."

"But that'll leave him wide open!" Syrus gasped.

"There's no way he can guess right again." Alexis said.

"I activate the trap card Spiritual Fire Art!" Jason declared and his trap opened, "By releasing a fire-attribute monster, you take damage equal to that monster's ATK points!" Lady Heat backed away into the card before being launched back out as a giant ball of fire. The wild man hollered as the fireball exploded at his feet.

**Damon: 1300**

**Jason: 2600**

"See that? He just cut Damon's points in half!" Syrus said.

"And they were tied a moment ago!" Chumley added.

"So Jason chose Lady Heat from Drawber's effect by sacrificing her and dealt direct damage as a bonus…" Chakra review, "He must not want to take anymore chances."

'He do good for man who wear shirt; and have haircut,' Damon thought, 'But still, he no match for the way of nature!' As Jason drew his card, Damon again meditated and after a moment, he opened his eyes. "Draw is, Polymerization!"

The slifer groaned as he revealed his fusion card.

"That's impossible!" Syrus gasped, as the field became completely one-sided.

"Guess everything goes back to the deck now." Jaden said.

"This is gonna hurt!" Rock groaned.

"Drawler, Stone Roll Wrecker!" Jason backed away as the golem came charging forth, and tripped over when Damon's Drawler rolled right through him.

**Damon: 1300**

**Jason: 600**

Afterward, Damon returned the card to the bottom of his deck. "I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn…" a set monster appeared.

"Not 'liscious. With Miracle Draw still out, all Damon has to do is guess one more card right and then it's goodbye eggwiches for good!"

"Aw man." Syrus groaned.

"Is it over?" everyone turned to Ms. Dorothy, who was standing by them quietly until now.

'This it. Just as I know leaves wilt and grow, I know I will pick my next draw. And with a monster in DEF mode, there's only one card that will help me. With it I can destroy monster; then, destroy Jason!' Damon closed his eyes and meditated, 'I need Shield Crush…Shield Crush…give me Shield Crush!'

"Draw will be Shield Crush!" Damon declared and drew his card. But arrogance turned to shock when he drew something else. "Oh no!"

"He got it wrong?" Chumley gasped as Damon's Miracle Draw backfired on him.

**Damon: 300**

**Jason: 600**

"So I guess wrong, it no matter! I still beat you, just you wait and see! Drawler attacks with Stone Roll Wrecker!" The massive stone steamroller drove across the field to take another target, but abruptly slowed down right in front of it. When everyone looked closer, they could see Elemental Hero Woodsman holding his ground against Drawler, preventing it from going any further (DEF: 2000).

"And since Woodsman's defense is the same as Drawler's offense, they're at a stalemate." Chakra said.

"Fine, so you survive this round. I end turn," Damon concluded, "But since you only have 600 life-point remaining, soon, like the seasons end, I end you!"

"Okay, that's enough!" Damon's determination fell at Jaden's snapping from the audience. "All this nature talk, that terrible fake voice…"

"Fake voice?!"

The hero duelist smiled, "C'mon Damon, you spent one year out in the wilderness. I mean it's not like you were raised there as a baby or something. It's time to get real."

"You wrong!"

"If drawing cards were as predictable as snow melting you'd never guess wrong, but you did! Drawing is about using your gut, you know; being in tune with yourself. And even then you'll guess every draw right. After all, you're only human, Damon…even if you do get around swinging on vines! That's what makes drawing so great. You never know what you'll get! You can only hope…"

"And here's hoping Jason gets a good draw," Chakra said, "This may be his last chance."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "When Elemental Hero Woodsman is on my field, his effect allows me to add one Polymerization to my hand," he added the said card from his deck. "Next, I activate Polymerization; and use an Elemental Hero from my field with an earth-attribute monster from my hand!" the wood-limbed hero merged with the Millennium Shield from his hand. Together they formed the heavy-armored earth hero, "With those two I special-summon Elemental Hero Gaia (ATK: 2200)!"

"You may have stronger monster but it no matter. Even if Drawler destroyed, I'll still have 100 life-point remaining. Then as soon as turn end, I activate Miracle Draw!"

"I activate Gaia's effect!" Jason continued, ignoring Damon's banter, "By cutting the ATK points of a monster in half, Gaia gains the same amount of ATK points!"

That explanation seemed to have spooked Damon, "Uh, you say what?" Gaia reiterated by smashing the ground and dropping Drawler halfway into an opening fissure.

Drawler: (ATK: 1000)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3200)

"Elemental Hero Gaia attacks Drawler!" Gaia smashed its oversized gauntlets into the ground, creating a massive shockwave that shatter Drawler into rubble. Damon let out one last holler as the explosive quakes continued around him.

**Damon: 0**

**Jason: 600**

"I'm striking that as nature at its finest!" Jaden cheered.

Jason felt all stress released as the second hero duelist sighed out in relief.

The wild man dropped to his knees and pounded on the ground, "I…lose…?" He muttered, with a gradual change of tone and mannerism in his voice. "I can't believe I lost! I-I don't understand! I trained out here for a whole year!"

"Hey, you're speaking like a human being again!" Jaden beamed as the group gathered around.

"Huh? Oh! I, uh, no get what…"

The brown-haired slifer sighed and shook his head, "Hey, it's okay, Damon. You can just be yourself."

"You mean it? Because I could really use a shower!" that got mostly everyone laughing. As for Damon, he hid his face away on the verge of crying. "…and a haircut."

"And shirt." Ms. Dorothy added, near tears as she walked over and knelt in front of him.

"Well, actually I thought… All that vine-swinging got me pretty ripped so, I was thinking that maybe…you know…"

"Damon, a shirt."

"Yeah…" the two hugged and let go of their emotions.

"I guess that means things can finally go back to normal," Chakra said, then turning to Jason, "By the way, that was nice work back there."

"Thank you." Was all Jason though to say as he returned Chakra's duel-disk.

"Wanna call it a night and walk home?" she asked hopefully.

"But what about them?"

The two turned to Ms. Dorothy and Damon, still sobbing in the former's arms. "I think we should give them some time to themselves."

* * *

><p>By the next week Damon was back to a normal life in the academy. With his obelisk uniform, a slimmed-down figure and near-proper haircut, he joined Jaden at the store where there's a new bin of sandwiches to fish around.<p>

"So, has anyone drawn the eggwich yet?" Jaden asked Ms. Dorothy.

"No, not yet!" she smiled, "Good luck!"

"Yeah. Better luck than I had with this haircut, at least." The Obelisk and Slifer smiled and dug into the bin. However…

"I drew it! The eggwich! It's mine!"

Both looked up and saw Alexis jumping with a triumphant smile, with a glowing gold eggwich in hand.

Not one wanting to stick around jubilation, Jason simply left the store with a mouthful of pizza bread, while Jaden and Damon was trying to but off the eggwich.

"Hey Alexis, I'll trade ya! I got something…greenish…"

"I'll take it!"

"…"

"What? I've been eating tree bark and grub for the past year!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Drawler  
><strong>

**Stats: [Rock/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: ?/DEF: ?)**

**Attribute: EARTH  
><strong>

**Effect: **When this card is Normal Summoned, you can return any number of cards from your hand to the Deck to have this card gain 500 ATK and DEF for each card returned. If this card destroys an Attack Position monster by battle, send the destroyed monster to the bottom of the Deck instead of the Graveyard.

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	21. Back into the Shadows: Part 1

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

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><p><strong>AN: (*) If you ever watched The Simpsons' "Homie the Clown", you would understand this reference...**

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><p>The first act takes place among the tall buildings of Domino city, home to a few of the world's most famous duelists. In one of its tallest buildings sat the president of the world-renowned gaming company KaibaCorp.<p>

"I think that just about does it…" he muttered, letting out a sigh in relief. "And I managed to spare a fair amount of time. So…" with a few keyboard taps and mouse movements, he switched windows from his work to the Duel Academy Database. Without many hobbies he sometimes looks into the data of its students, trying to see if there were anything out of the ordinary in his absence. It was just recently that he was checking in more frequently because a few first-year students have caught his attention. But this time, he's interested in one in particular…

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><p>The lit bulbs rotated slowly yet brightly atop of the lighthouse a certain Obelisk student spent his nights leaning against. But tonight he doesn't seem to be alone.<p>

"I never really expected you to be here this late," Zane greeted Chakra as she turned the corner, "I'm sure Alexis must've told you I'd be here. Is there anything you need?"

"I was hoping you could help me with something…" she opened a laptop she carried with her and turned it on to the school's website. There she pulled up one of the students' profiles.

"Hm. Isn't that…"

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><p>"Let's see here; his name is Jason Hutchins, a first-year Slifer Red at age 15. …Right here it says they never received his tuition! Then what is he even doing there?!"<p>

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><p>"I've been looking into Jason's dueling and I figured you could give me a little insight. You are one of the school's best duelist after all."<p>

"A little insight, huh?" Zane then sighed, "Do you have a record on him?" Chakra performed a few mouse clicks and went to Jason's dueling record.

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><p>"This looks interesting. It seems Jason did well on his first practical exam, and against Crowler no less. Even though Crowler used his Deluxe Limiter Removal and sacrificed three different Gadget monsters to bring his Gadjiltron Dragon at his full potential, this kid managed to survive such a combo by using a well-outdated card. I forgot that card still exists…"<p>

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><p>"Despite that, he still allowed himself to be beaten by Obelisk Blue students," Zane said, looking further into the records, "Crowler may just be losing his touch."<p>

"Regardless, you can't argue with the results when he's faced with high stakes."

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><p>"That's right. He was caught trespassing on forbidden grounds. But for some reason they decided to give those rule-breakers a chance to stay in school. Two of them were arranged to face the Paradox Brothers, but they managed to win regardless of being in Slifer Red. As for Jason, he and another Slifer was forced to duel one another to face a third arranged duelist while the loser had to be sent home. But the Jason person somehow managed to pull out a tie game using the Last Turn trap card. But seeing that other duelist's deck profile I knew he has stronger monsters than that. Did those two planned that tie?"<p>

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><p>"Anyway, Jason used that tie to give Chumley a chance to duel alongside him," Chakra said, "And since there was only one other duelist to face, they have to give him last-minute partner from the student roster."<p>

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><p>"So Bandit Keith has a younger relative that goes there, huh? And like him, she plays a machine deck of her own. Together they overwhelmed the Slifers with a combination of raw power and massive effect-damage. But Jason managed to pull off another win for him and his partner by using a combination of a Spiritual Art card and a corresponding-attribute monster. Let's see what else is here," he scrolled down until he spotted one that made his eyes widen a bit, "…whoa. Losing to that thing cannot be good for anyone's reputation. All it needs is an annoying Brooklyn accent and I could consider introducing the two."<p>

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><p>"But to be fair, he did hold back."<p>

"A loss is still a loss. Anything else?"

"Let's see…there was this one other duel he held back in, but in this he managed to manipulate the duel and made it into a draw."

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><p>"So he used another Spiritual Art combo, huh? I'm starting to think his theme isn't limited to some archetype like I originally thought. There's one other duel here, and this one is the most recent," he scrolled down, "This opponent looks like an overgrown monkey without any decent clothes on. And he's supposed to be an Obelisk Blue? Do they accept just anyone in my academy? I need to make sure they manage to run a tighter ship in my absence…"<p>

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><p>"I'm sure that's all for now," Chakra closed her laptop, "So if you were to duel him in the state he's in now, what would you think?"<p>

Zane paused, before looking back over the horizon, "…He's gonna need a lot more practice than that to hold a candle against me."

Chakra looked away and smiled sadly, "I thought you'd say that. Well, I'd better get going then…" she walked away from the harbor, leaving Zane to mull by himself.

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><p>Jason sat lazily on a table as he huffed into the empty space. Apparently there was a lottery in Crowler's class today to write a five-page, single-spaced report that he has to finish by the beginning of next week. Even worse, he's still hasn't decided on a topic for it. So now he's sitting in the library, tapping his pencil on a blank piece of paper. He hasn't even started and he's already reached a dead end.<p>

But not wanting a failing grade, he risked taking one of the nearest magazines the previous students may have left behind and tried to find ideas from there. From the title it seemed like nothing special, just an old catalog of duelists from some tournament years back. He was flipping through it looking for easy access to duelist files and stopped at a page spread that got him very curious…

On one page was an article on a duelist named Ryo Bakura. It says here that his deck had an occult theme, focusing of not only fiend-type monsters and other cards related to ghosts and spirits. There are cards here that he's seen before. The Dark Door, Dark Spirit of the Silent, even Dark Necrofear, he remembered Calypso using those same monsters.

The next duelist was similar: Marik Ishtar. It said that he only participated in one tournament and it was said to have left a lasting impression. His deck contained mostly fiends as well, but its primary focus was disrupting the opponent's battle tactics and playing hand. Calypso did the same thing. Helpoemer, Dark Jeroid, Legendary Fiend, she used a similar tactic. She must have based her entire deck on those two…

"I though I'd find you here," Jason looked up to see Chakra approaching him, "With that report you've been given, it's good to see you're doing research. How's it going?"

"Do you know what topic I should use?" Jason asked, "I've been looking into some stuff so I can know where to start…"

Chakra looked over Jason's shoulder at the magazine, "Looks like you're looking up the Battle City Tournament. Why don't you try that for a report?"

"Battle City? Is that what it's called?"

"Please, don't tell me you don't know about that Battle City Tournament," Chakra said as she took a seat next to Jason, "It's a part of dueling history; not to mention it's where the first official duel-disk made it's debut, you know, the one you're always using?"

Jason remembered the duel-disk he always uses, which was different then the duel-disks issued by the academy. Which reminds him, why hasn't he gotten one yet? "Is there anything you can tell me about it?"

Chakra sighed, "Okay, first of all Battle City was the turning-point of how we played duel-monsters. Before, we'd have to find giant virtual arenas to experience our cards in holographic form. But thanks to the duel-disks issued to Battle City participants, we can duel anywhere without having to wait to rent for an arena."

"Okay…"

"The goal is to win duels by anteing up your rarest card, as well as a special 'Locator Card'. When you collect six of those you're given the secret location where the finals would be held."

"What else?"

"You can't expect me to give you all the information. If you want to do the report them you're gonna have to do the research. But I can point you in the right direction. I'm sure there are news articles of Battle City somewhere."

The door to the library opened and someone stumbled inside. Both Jason and Chakra looked up to see Noire Kennedy slumped against the wall, nearly our of breath.

"Noire? You look in a hurry!" Chakra stated. Noire panted and wheezed as she tried to form words in her mouth, but nothing came out, "Look, just relax and sit down. Here." Chakra got up and lead Noire to a seat and settled her down, "Okay, let's start over. What is it you have to say?"

Noire calmed down and took a few deep breaths before giving her answer, "It's Calypso!"

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><p>The three made a beeline for the school's infirmary and saw what Noire meant. Lying limp on the bed was Calypso, who looked like she had been in a fight with all those scratches and patches of dirt on her. Nurse Fontaine was watching over her when they entered.<p>

"Your friend found her a few minutes ago," the nurse said, "and by the state she's in and what Noire told me I think she had walked out of some kind of fight!"

"Well, there are no animals on this island so an animal attack is ruled out," Chakra said, then looked towards Noire, "You said she came from the forest?"

"That's where she came from," Noire replied, "I saw her limping towards the Ra dorm and she passed out near there."

"Is she going to be okay?" Jason asked Fontaine.

"She's in a state of fatigue and she's very exhausted," Fontaine said, "She'll need some rest, but other than that, she'll be fine."

* * *

><p>Chakra, Jason and Noire left the nurse's office so Calypso could get her rest.<p>

"Um, Noire, did Calypso have anything in her possession when you found her?" Chakra asked.

"Um, no. Why do you ask?"

"I thought so…" That does seem strange. Calypso's rarely seen without that book. It makes him wonder if someone took it from her. And if that's the case, does that mean someone else could use it?

"Jason, can I talk to you privately for a minute?" Jason didn't need to reply as he followed Chakra around a corner. The Obelisk peeked around to make sure they were alone before speaking to him again, "I didn't think much of it until now, but think you made a fair point there. Have you ever seen Calypso without the book at anytime besides when she's in your dorm room?"

Jason shook his head, "Now that you mention it, I don't think she ever went anywhere without it."

"I figured as much," Chakra sighed, "I think we both know how dangerous that book is, right?"

"I remembered," Jason nodded, "Do you think someone took it off of her?"

"It's a possibility we can't rule out. If someone stole the book from her or at least found it, we could have a problem. Besides, we both know how dangerous that book is. Whoever has it can cause trouble. Even if they don't know how to use it, it could cause even more harm."

"Do you think we should find the book, do you know where to start?"

"Better to start now than later. And I'm planning to solve this problem as soon as possible." Chakra turned around and walked away.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Just wait until I come back with something," Chakra waved off, "In the meantime, just focus on that report!"

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><p>After a while in the library he's finally had plans set for his report. After doing a little more research he could try writing a rough draft. After that he'll do a bit more research while he types it down before changing it into a final draft. With that decided, he checked out a few resources and carried them to his dorm room which, for the umpteenth time, he had all to himself for the evening. It was getting dark out and Jason looked into the few magazines he checked out. Eventually he reached an article with a picture of a tiny island of rubble with a large, mechanical tower in the center. 'The Battle City Finals' it said. It said here that the island was the tournament's final stage, which someone named Yugi Muto won. He looked over to the roster of the final four duelists and one of the caught his eye.<p>

"Familiar…" that word escaped out of his mouth while looking at the one with the spiky head that isn't hard to miss. He thought back to the day of his entrance exam where he ran into someone similar to him.

Suddenly he was alerted by the sound of his PDA beeping and brought it out to answer it. It was a video edited by a shadow and an altered voice:

_"We have what you're looking for. If you want your book returned, meet me at the central rooftop within twenty minutes. Duel to earn your prize…"_

This seemed too convenient. But he and Chakra were right to assume someone would steal Calypso's book. The question now is why they did it, and can he win it back? He couldn't help but feel this is some kind of ploy. Why would they steal something just to give it back? He'll need some assistance for this…

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><p>"Thank you for helping me, Chakra." Jason said as he and Chakra walked through the dark halls of the school.<p>

"You're right to call me here. It'd be too dangerous to do this alone."

"They said to meet them on the middle rooftop. That must me the giant silver one, right? Do you know how to get there?"

"Strange. The roofs aren't exactly a place for students. Even if our thief's up there I doubt it would be accessible to us, unless they leave the door open for some reason." After a couple more minutes of hallways and a couple more staircases, they finally found a certain door with a sign reading 'Maintenance Only' beside it, with the door itself open.

The lights came on as they went in. Inside seemed like a standard maintenance closet, with tools on one corner and cleaning supplies on another. On the other side is another open door, the lights lit from the inside. They walked inside, revealing a large, hexagonal room with four mechanical pedestals, each large enough to fit one person and attached to a vertical rail on the side walls. But the one thing that caught their attention the most…

…Standing in the exact center of the room is a human-shaped figure under a black cloak, just as shown in Jason's message. "It's him!" Jason gasped at the sight of the stranger.

"It's good to see that you came, duelist," the stranger greeted in an amused tone, its voice under the same filter, "And it looks like you brought a friend."

Chakra stepped forward, "We came here because you have something that doesn't belong to you!"

"Then if you want it back, there's only one way…" the stranger threw aside the shroud hiding his left arm and revealed a duel-disk. "And that's in a duel."

"Fine. Then I'll duel…" Jason stepped forward.

"What about your friend?" the stranger asked snidely, "I don't see any reason to leave her out of the fun."

"Two against one isn't fair," Chakra argued, "But if that's what you want…"

"I assure you, things will be evened out. I won't be dueling alone…" another cloak stepped out from behind the first one, "We'll make this 2-on-2."

'I knew it would be a bad idea to leave Jason alone on this. Now I know why.' Chakra thought, and then stepped up to stand beside Jason. "Fine. It's a tag-duel, then."

"Then it's settled. We'll have a double-duel, but we'll be battling in another location," the stranger nodded over to one of the pedestals, "These lifts will take us to our destination. There we will have our duel."

"I guess there's no other way," Chakra looked up to the ceiling with Jason, then down to the four pedestals. "Jason, you take one while I take the other."

Jason nodded and went to the nearest one on the left while Chakra took the right. The two cloaks did the same for the remaining pedestals. They looked for a way to activate them, but the pedestals seemed to turn on automatically and alarmed them slightly by lifting them up the wall. Two hatches opened to let each pedestal carry them up through the ceiling.

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><p>The motions finally stopped and a new set of light illuminated the darkness of yet another room, revealing a large duel-arena almost as large as the main stadium arena. Stepping off of their respective pedestals, the four duelists gathered together at the core arena. Jason and Chakra stood on one end while the two black cloaks stood parallel on the opposite.<p>

"Now, before we begin…" Chakra began, "We want to make sure you don't back out of the deal. So show us the book, and throw it to the center of the stage," the first cloak revealed the book from under their cloak and tossed it over, where it landed in the middle with a thud. "Better. Now that it's out in the open where we can all see, I'm sure you won't try any tricks. Now o to the rules: both teams start with a shared amount of 8000 points. When they reach zero, the team loses then and there. Also, no one attacks until everyone gets their first turn. Any questions?"

"Just one…" the cloak pushed back its cape and opened their arms, where they pulled out their deck and placed it inside their duel-disk. Their partner did the same. "Are you ready to lose?"

"How's this for an answer…" Chakra got set up herself for the duel while Jason did the same.

"Let's Duel!" they all exclaimed.

**Cloaks 1 & 2: 8000**

**Jason and Chakra: 8000**

"We'll make the first turn!" Chakra started, then glanced over to Jason, "Jason, you go first!"

"Aright!" Jason drew his sixth card, "I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode!" the female fire hero appeared (ATK: 1300), "Next I place one card face-down and end my turn, which activates Lady Heat's special-ability and inflict 200 points of damage to your life-points!" Lady Heat launched a small ball of flame that exploded at one of the cloak's feet.

**Cloaks 1 & 2: 7800**

**Jason and Chakra: 8000**

"I guess it's my turn now," the first cloak drew their card, "I summon (1) Makyura the Destructor(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1200) in ATK mode!" the monster summoned appeared as a knight in fully-suited violet-and-gold armor. The single-eyed helmet it wore has a large, spiky crest on the top with a pair of axe-like blades on the sides. Equipped on each wrist is a giant set of claws that look like they could slice through metal (ATK: 1600), "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn!" Chakra drew her sixth card, "I set one monster in DEF mode!" a face-down card appeared in the monster-card zone, "Then I end my turn by placing four cards face-down!" four more set cards appeared behind the first one.

"Now it's my turn…" the second cloak said, with a calm and cool tone in contrast to his partner, "I place these two card face-down and end my turn." Two reverse-cards appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" Lady Heat's male counterpart appeared (ATK: 1600), "And while he's on the field, his ATK increases by 200 for every Elemental Hero on my field, including Heat himself (ATK: 2000)! Elemental Hero Heat attacks Makyura!" Heat ignited its fists and slammed them against Makyura, cracking its armor before it shattered into pixels.

**Cloaks 1 & 2: 7400**

**Jason and Chakra: 8000**

If anyone listened closely, they could hear a small chuckle from the cloak's hood, "Because Makyura was sent to the graveyard, I can activate a trap card straight from my deck. And the card I choose to activate will be Nightmare Wheel!" a large, gruesome skull carrying a large wheel in its maw appeared.

'A trap card from his hand?!' Jason gasped in his mind.

"When this card is activated, it can capture one of your monsters, preventing it from attacking or switching its battle-position. Also, it deals its owner 500 points of damage each time my standby-phase comes to pass. So I'll use Nightmare Wheel to capture your Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" a set of chains shot out towards Lady Heat.

"I activate my trap card, Spiritual Fire Art!" Jason's reverse-card open, "This lets me release a fire-attribute monster! And since Lady Heat is a fire-attribute, when she leaves the field, your Nightmare Wheel misses its target!" Lady Heat skipped back into the trap card, escaping the wheel's cage.

"Jason, let me help! I activate my own face-down cards: Chain Detonation, Chain Healing, Accumulated Fortune and Chain Strike!" all four of Chakra's cards flipped open, one after another, "Each of these cards can't be activated on their own; but activated together, they activate a powerful domino-effect!"

"Domino effect?" the cloak muttered.

"I mean I'm gonna use them all in one combo! And I'm going to use Jason's Spiritual Fire Art to set it in motion!"

"My Spiritual Fire Art?" Jason asked.

"Just like you did with Harrington!" Chakra nodded, "By countering one card activation or effect to another, they create a chain of effects that resolve one after another. And here's how it works: first you countered Nightmare Wheel's activation using Spiritual Fire Art. Then I chose to counter your very Spiritual Art with a card of my own called Chain Detonation. Meanwhile each card in this chain are numbered from the first card played on down."

Nightmare Wheel: Chain Link 1

Spiritual Fire Art-Hiita: Chain Link 2

Chain Detonation: Chain Link 3

"Wait, so those other cards you activated, are you countering them to each other as well?"

"Yes. Chain Detonation is counted by Chain Healing, and Chain Healing is countered by Accumulative Fortune, and finally Accumulative Fortune is countered by Chain Strike.

Chain Healing: Chain Link 4

Accumulative Fortune: Chain Link 5

Chain Strike: Chain Link 6

"So you managed to link out cards together…" the cloak said, "It's nothing new."

"Apparently you haven't seen the combo I have in store. Now that the chain is complete, the effects that are to activate will do so in the exact opposite order they were played! Since Chain Strike is activated last, its effect goes first, inflicting 400 points of damage for each card in the combo. So since there are six card in the combo, you take 1600 points of damage!" the quick-play spell glowed and launched a series of chains at the two mystery duelists.

**Cloaks 1 & 2: 5800**

**Jason and Chakra: 8000**

"Next up is the trap card Accumulative Fortune! This card can only be activated as the forth card in the combo or further! Its effect allows me to draw two more cards from my deck!" Chakra drew two more cards, "Now for Chain Healing and Chain Detonation! They can only be played as the second card in the combo or further! Chain Healing increases this side's life-points by 500 while Chain Detonation's effect…I think you get the idea." Chain Healing appeared as a porcelain chalice decorated with silver chains while Chain Detonation appeared as a yellow x-shaped mine with a red gem on it. The Chalice tipped over and shower Chakra with stardust while the mine flew over to the opposing side and exploded on impact.

**Cloaks 1 & 2: 5300**

**Jason and Chakra: 8500**

"There's something else you need to know about Chain Detonation and Chain Healing. If either of them were played as the second or third card in the combo, that card is shuffled back into my deck instead of going to the graveyard! Any further, and they get to be added back to my hand! I'm sure you can follow all that, right?" Chakra shuffled Chain Detonation into her deck and returned Chain Detonation. "Jason, it's all you now. Continue where I left off.

Jason nodded, "Now Spiritual Fire Art's effect activates, inflicting damage equal to the released monster's original ATK. And without a monster you Nightmare Wheel is useless!" Jason's trap fired a large fireball that burst between the cloaked opponents.

**Cloaks 1 & 2: 4000**

**Jason and Chakra: 8500**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason concluded with a reverse-card, the turned to Chakra, "I didn't know there were cards that could do what you did. Now we're already halfway done. Thanks again for helping…"

Chakra beamed a smile, "No problem. We're in this together, right?" but their moment was interrupted by laughter from the opponents' field.

"I must admit, you truly are a talented duelist," one of them praised, "I guess that means it's time we all take this duel seriously. I've held back long enough!"

The sound of gears whirring and turning filled the area as the arena they're standing on began to rise. The ceiling above opened to give more space for the arena to continue rising up to a larger, more open space. But the time it snapped to a halt, the stage became a large, cylindrical tower on the main rooftop of the school building.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to them, it was all seen from the edge of the inactive volcano. They were perched on a platform surrounded by the night's darkness that no one could see then if they were paying attention.<p>

The sound of rotating blades caught their attention as a helicopter landed on the platform beside then, the pilot climbing out carrying something with them, "Here's your personal items right here, sir."

The stranger retrieved the box from the pilot, "That's all I'll need for you right now. Go to the back of the island and wait for further instructions."

"Thank you, sir!" the pilot saluted and returned to the helicopter to leave. As it hovered away, the stranger already opened the box, and stared at its contents with intensity, grinning wickedly, "It looks live I've been busy lately! I can't wait to brush off my skill after so long..."

* * *

><p>"We're outside?!" Jason gasped as he and Chakra looked around.<p>

"If you ask me, it's sort of reminiscing," the cloak said, "It's been years since I've dueled in a place such as this."

"So you dueled here before?" Chakra asked.

"So sorry. What I mean is, it reminds me of the days of Battle City, where I played in the finals on KaibaCorp's Alcatraz Tower!" hearing those words, the two academy duelist have been clued in…

"Alcatraz Tower?" Jason gasped aloud, "Like the one I read in the article…"

'But Alcatraz Tower is where the Battle City final four dueled! And those four were Yugi Moto, Seto Kaiba…' by the time Chakra continued down the list, she gasped and then hardened a glare, "You better show me who you are under those robes, now!"

"Well, since you asked nicely…I was going to do that anyway!" grabbing their cape, the mystery duelist flung it over and off of them, tossing it out of the arena and into the winds. Their true identity were revealed, wearing a black sleeveless tank top and beige pants along with golden earrings, neckwear, armbands and bracelets. His ash-grey hair spiked up a several direction as a third eye glowed alit on his forehead. Due to his overall appearance, Chakra stood stiff in confusion.

"He looks like one of the guys I found while I was researching Battle City!" Jason said, "His name was Marik Ishtar!"

"Then you'd know how old your references are…" Chakra replied, shuddering, "Battle City dated back over a decade. This guy can't be Marik! He looks the same age as he was during the tournament!"

"So you know who I am," the person know as Marik gave a flourished bow, "It's good to see my fame precedes me!"

"So you were in Battle City?" Jason asked.

"That's right. And I'm not the only one here with history of Battle City…" Marik waved over to his partner, "Let's see who's under Curtain #2!" on cue the second one tossed away his cloak but this time it was thrown towards Chakra.

By the time she caught it Jason could already see their plan. It was just a distraction to take the book back while she was preoccupied. He jumped towards it, but the book was snatched away and he fell on his face instead.

"Are you okay?" Chakra asked Jason as she threw away the cape. He glanced over at the second opponent, but a glance was all it took for her body to lock back up.

The new figure wore normal jeans and a teal short-sleeved collared jacket worn over a blue and white horizontally striped t-shirt. His stiff white hair was pointed downwards in various directions and trails half way down his back.

"Ryo Bakura's here too?" Chakra shuddered, 'And he's also the same as he was back in Battle City! It doesn't make any sense!'

"Pleased to meet your acquaintance," Ryo Bakura greeted, his tone sounding darker, "Now that the introductions are out of the way let's say we continue this little game…" he glanced over to Marik, "Let's take it to the next level, shall we?"

"With pleasure," Marik snickered, getting the same idea. Swiftly he opened the book and flipped the pages in a single flaunt before letting the page fall still, when he skimmed another look to Bakura, "Just one question: you rather we do this SAW-Style or Hellraiser-Style?" **(*)**

"Listen to you heard." Bakura waved off and Marik browsed the book a bit more before stopping at a particular page.

"Get ready, because you're about to witness a game unlike anything you played before!" Marik raised the book in the air and black smoke spilled out of it in massive quantities.

"Here it comes!" Chakra warned as the fog spread over them, surrounding the arena and cutting them off from the outside. Soon the arena and everyone standing on it were at the mercy of complete and total darkness, no longer in the world they knew.

"Now this feels more like home!" Marik declared, "Welcome to the Shadow Realm!"

This is what they were afraid of. The last time Jason and Chakra were here with a few others, they almost lost their souls here. Whatever tricks those two veteran duelists plan to pull…

'Those two can't be the real Marik and Bakura!' Chakra thought, then looked up to the dark clouds, 'But how do they know how to use that book, or that it even exists? Something weird's going on.' "If you two are the duelists you say you are, then how did you come to be here?" Chakra demanded, "How come you look like you haven't aged?"

"I guess it is a story worth sharing, if you don't mind my bragging," Bakura chuckled, "You see the Book of Lost Millennium dates back as far as the Millennium Items were created. And as you've seen for yourselves not long ago, it works as a gateway to the Shadow Realm."

"And to think I used to believe Shadow Realm was all a myth..." Chakra muttered.

"I'm afraid that's where you're wrong, my dear," Marik said, "The Shadow Realm is all to real. And this book can manifest dark powers using the souls trapped deep inside it. And there are many souls than you can possible imagine."

"That still doesn't explain how you look the same as the Battle City articles!" Chakra snapped, "And another thing, how did you know that Jason and I dealt with this sort of thing before? I doubt you two were even there!"

"I can assure you, we were there," Bakura said, "Remember how that girl Calypso was able to utilize souls for her cards? Especially when summoning Dark Necrofear?"

'I remember Calypso saying she used souls to make her cards real,' Jason thought, 'But I don't know what that has to do with now...'

"Of course I remember, because I was one of the souls trapped behind the books bindings until now."

Chakra gasped, "You were trapped inside the book?!"

"I can vouch for him," Marik said, "After all, I was trapped there myself as well."

"But...now you're out..." Chakra said, "How's that even possible?"

"The same way it was possible for your Slifer friend to free you and your fellow students from Calypso's grip that night," Bakura looked towards Jason, "Don't you remember how you freed them from being consumed by the discard graveyard?"

Jason thought back to his duel with Calypso and how he was able to free the girls by using Elemental Hero Flash. Then he thought back further to when Dark Necrofear was summoned, "Did Dark Necrofear have anything to do with it?"

"You're catching on. That particular shadow-game was formed to eject spirits that were banished from that current duel."

"Too bad she wasn't paying attention to whose spirits she was releasing." Marik added.

"But...why would you choose now to make your move?" Chakra asked.

"You do know that spirits can't interact with this world without a corporeal form, right?" Bakura said, "Knowing our jailer would return to reclaim her lost spirits we decided to 'rent out space' using a couple random students."

"You mean you possessed them." Calypso guessed.

"At first we were just occupying their bodies, hiding within the darkest corners of their minds until we were strong enough to actually use possession," Bakura explained, "Eventually we were able to put those bodies to use while their asleep, and used the opportunity to corner her while she was out last night. And now that we have the book we can use the souls inside to form actually bodies of our own."

'So that's why Calypso's been out so late!' Jason thought, 'those spirits must have been wandering the island ever since our duel. So she's been looking to take bake every last one of them. And then these two show up...' "Wait! Why did you call me out here do duel you?"

"Surely there are powerful duelists on this island whose souls are worth taking," Bakura said, "so why not start with the one person who defeated Caypso in a duel."

"Now, if you heard enough, let's get back to the duel, shall we?" tucking the book under his arm, Marik proceeded with his next turn, "I activate Temple of the Kings!" after slipping the card into his duel-disk, the fog behind the opposing field parted and revealed a giant stone temple; a huge stairway leading up to a large casket, "A spell card…that is what you children call it these days, right? And what it does is the same as Makyura's ability, which allows me to activate a trap card directly from my hand. And this trap is in a class unlike anything you've ever played; for you see, it's a trap and a monster!" the trap card Marik played became a black-skinned shield-and-sword warrior with a lower belly of a snake, including a snake's head protruding from its back (ATK: 1600), "Embodiment of Apophis(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800)!"

"Chakra, do you know anything about this card?" Jason asked.

"As this Marik-Imposter implied, that monster comes from an exclusive class of traps that not just special-summons a monster, but becomes the monster itself," Chakra replied, "And every monster like it are formed from continuous-trap cards just so they can legally remain on the field."

"I'm getting the feeling that someone doesn't think I'm the genuine article," Marik snickered, "I'm hurt. But you're right on one thing: since the monster I played is a special-summon, I can still summon a monster from my hand. So by sacrificing my Embodiment of Apophis, I can summon the powerful (2) Mystical Beast of Serket(6/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)!" a large brown-colored scorpion-like creature appeared from inside the temple and scuttle down the stairs, over to Marik's side (ATK: 2500).

"Jason please tell me you have something prepared…" Chakra pleaded, which Jason could only shake his head.

"Time to remove this so-called hero from the field, Serket!" the scorpion grabbed Heat with one of its pinchers and, to Jason's horror, sucked him into its mouth, devouring him.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 4000**

**Jason and Chakra: 7800**

"And here's the best part: not only is your monster removed from play, Serket absorbs 500 ATK points from each monster it devours (ATK: 3000)! Finally I place one card face-down to end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Chakra drew her next card, "I place two cards face-down, and that'll be it for now."

"Then I guess it's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, "I activate the spell Graceful Charity. This allows me to draw three additional card from my deck, as long as I discard two card from my hand," he drew three times and discarded twice, "Next, I activate the spell Magical Stone Excavation. Bu sending two card from my hand to the graveyard, I can add any spell card, a spell like Graceful Charity, from my graveyard," Bakura took the spell back to his hand, "Now I can activate Graceful Charity once more." The process repeated as he drew three cards before discarding two.

'He must be looking for something important,' Chakra thought, 'why else would he draw cards so recklessly?'

"Next I activate yet another spell, A Feather of the Phoenix. By discarding one card from my hand, I can take a spell card from my graveyard and place it on top of my deck," Bakura did just so, "Next, due to the Temple of the Kings' effect, I activate the trap Spirit Barrier from my hand," the continuous-trap was played next onto his duel-disk, "Finally I end my turn with a face-down."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one monster and DEF mode. I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Marik drew his next card, "And I'd like to thank you for providing my Mystical Beast another morsel!" Serket scuttled towards the set monster.

"I activate my trap card, Reverse Trap!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "For the rest of this turn, any power that increases a monsters ATK and DEF points will decrease it instead!"

Mystical Beast of Serket: (ATK: 2000)

The set monster rose as Elemental Hero Woodsman (DEF: 2000). The wood-limbed hero caught the creature by its clutches and forced it back. "And since Woodsman's DEF is the same as Serket's ATK, it can't be destroyed in battle!"

"For now at least. But I have something better in mind," Marik grinned, "I activate my Temple of the Kings' second effect!" Serket turned and jumped back into the Temple of the Kings, opening the large casket before scuttling inside, "By sacrificing both the temple and its guardian, I can summon a monster from anywhere in my deck!" the stone temple collapsed into nothing but rubble with Serket still inside. Amidst the debris a grotesque demon with four snake-like tendrils rose and hovered over to the arena (ATK: 1500), "I'm sure you remember my Legendary Fiend, don't you? After all, it remembers you, and how you disgraced it by turning its power against him!"

"How could I forget…?" Jason muttered, 'But I also didn't forget how that monster can power up at the start of every turn. But if Chakra summons a stranger monster on her next turn, we won't have to worry about it…right?"

"I activate the quick-play spell card Turn Jump! As soon as this card's active, the entire duel is skipped over by three rounds!"

"Three rounds?! But what does that mean?"

"It means I can skip three standby-phases! And since my Legendary Fiend powers up by 700 ATK points, it gains a complete set of 2100 points, giving it a grand total of 3600 ATK points!"

Legendary Fiend: (ATK: 3600)

"A monster he summoned weaker that Serket, just became even stronger!" Chakra gasped, "I was hoping we can get past this before it became too powerful, but…"

"But now you can't!" Marik laughed, "And soon it'll be too late to do anything about it! Now make your move!"

Chakra drew her next card, "I place one card face-down. That's it."

"Then it's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, "And since I share the same field as my partner, my standby-phase gives Legendary Fiend an additional 700 ATK points."

Legendary Fiend: (ATK: 4300)

"And remember last turn when I used A Feather of the Phoenix to add a card from my graveyard? Guess what I've chosen…" for the third time, he activate Graceful Charity to draw three cards and discard two, "Then I guess I'll end my turn with a face-down." A reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "With Woodsman's effect, I can add one Polymerization card to my hand!" he searched his deck for his spell card before shuffling the rest, "Next I activate Polymerization and use Elemental Heroes Knospe and Poison Rose to summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the heavily-armored earth hero appeared (ATK: 2200), "And when he's summoned, he can cut the ATK points of an opponent's monster in half while gaining half the ATK points it lost!"

Legendary Fiend: (ATK: 2150)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 4350)

"Now Elemental Hero Gaia, attack!" Gaia slammed its fist into the field and destroyed it.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 4000**

**Jason and Chakra: 7800**

Marik growled, seemingly disappointed. "You got lucky…"

"But you life-points didn't change…" Jason realized.

"Very observant," Bakura insulted, "That's because of my Spirit Barrier trap that's in effect. It protects the user's life-points whenever there's a monster in the field."

"But that's not all. I play a trap card of my own called Option Hunter!" Marik activated his face-down, "This card adds the ATK points of the monster you destroyed this battle to my life-points. So all you did was give me Legendary Fiend's power!"

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 5500**

**Jason and Chakra: 7800**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Jason concluded.

"Then it's my turn," Marik drew his next card, "I set one monster in DEF mode, and that'll do."

"It's my turn!" Chakra drew her next card, "I summon the Morphing Jar that I had face-down a few turns ago!" the monster revealed itself as a stone jar with a grinning face inside, "With his special-ability, we all have to replace our hand by drawing five new cards from our decks!" each player discarded their hands before drawing, "Next I sacrifice Morphing Jar to summon vanished and was replaced by a lovely blond-haired woman, the white sleeves and collar dressed as large violet petals and a series of large grass blades draped behind her from her collar (ATK: 2400), "And now Iris attacks your face-down card!" Iris summoned a pair of green vines that pierced through the set monster card. But something long and slimy shout out and coiled around the Earth Mother, restricting her movement.

"The monster you destroyed happens to be my (3) Kiseitai(2/ATK: 300/DEF: 800)!" Marik explained, "And thanks to you, it'll give me half of Iris' ATK during each of my partner or my standby-phase!"

'I can't believe I fell into that one,' Chakra groaned, 'I guess the best way I can get rid of that thing is to sacrifice my own monster. But for now…' "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, "And due to Kiseitai's special-ability, I gain 1200 life-points."

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 6700**

**Jason and Chakra: 7800**

"I'd like to thank you for the extra cards. But for now, I'll end my turn with this…" a reverse-card appeared in front of Bakura.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I switch Elemental Hero Woodsman to ATK mode!" the wood-limbed hero rose to his feet (ATK: 1000), "And since there's no monster on your field, both monster can attack you directly!" both Gaia and Woodsman charged forth to attack.

"I plated my trap card, Depth Amulet!" Bakura activated his continuous-trap, "So until the end of my opponent's third turn I can sacrifice any number of cards from my hand, which in turn negates the same number of attacks." The two cards he discarded formed a barrier that repelled the attacks.

"I end my turn…" Jason concluded.

"That's means it's my turn again!" Marik drew his next card, "And Kiseitai's ability once again activates!"

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7900**

**Jason and Chakra: 7800**

"I summon (4) Revival Jam(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 800) in DEF mode!" a shapeless mass of blue slime appeared (DEF: 800). "Then I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "That'll do for now."

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I summon (5) Blast Asmodian(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 300) in ATK mode!" a small red imp with a bulbous head appeared, wearing tight black pants and an open, green wool vest (ATK: 1000), "And now my monsters will set their sights on that Revival Jam!" both monsters move in to attack.

"I think not," Bakura smirked, "Have you forgotten about Depth Amulet's effect? All I have to do is sacrifice two more cards and both your attacks will be negated."

"That's why I decided to counter your trap card with a few of my own! Activate Chain Healing, followed by Mystical Wind Typhoon and finally Miraculous Rebirth!"

'She's about to do another combo!' Jason realized.

"First, Miraculous Rebirth has to be activated as the forth card at the very least. But it's well worth the wait because now I can summon one monster from my graveyard! And the card I decided to bring back will be my (6) Lightning Punisher(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 1600)!" the quick-play spell summoned a man in a sleeveless black jumpsuit with silver tesula-like bands sparking around his upper thighs and waist, and a sapphire gem on his chest. His short and spiky silver hair has a golden mask disguising his face. And on his hands he wore golden gloves that stopped just above his knuckles (ATK: 2600), "Second, my Mystical Wind Typhoon can only be played as the third-or-higher card in a combo. But it also allows me to destroy any one spell or trap card on your field, and I choose your Spirit Barrier!" a gust of wind shot out of the card and tore through the Spirit Barrier card, "Next, my Chain Healing gives me 500 more life-points."

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7900**

**Jason and Chakra: 8300**

"But since it's played as the second card, I have to shuffle it back into my deck," Chakra did just that and added the card with the others. Finally, Depth Amulet canceled the second volley of attacks, including the third from Lightning Punisher, "But that's not all. The special-ability of Iris, the Earth Mother activates whenever there's a combo of three or more cards have been played. It allows me to draw one extra card from my deck!" Chakra drew once more, "Also, Blast Asmodean inflicts 500 points of damage for every combo played while he's on the field; something your Depth Amulet can't stop." the imp tossed a small projectile that exploded on contact.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7400**

**Jason and Chakra: 8300**

"Finally, I place one card face-down and end my turn." Chakra concluded.

"Well, would you look at that," Marik snickered, "A few rounds has passed and we're back where we started."

'I hate to say it but he has a point,' Chakra thought, 'Jason and I gave it as good as we can give them and they just keep dodging damage. It's like they're stalling for something…'

'I don't like this…' Jason thought, sharing Chakra's concern, 'I was barely able to destroy two of Marik's monster. But Bakura hasn't been able to summon anything, just kept throwing away cards. I don't think he's doing this to be reckless. If what he's planning, whet either of them is planning, has anything to do with a shadow game, I don't think we can make it out this time!'

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Makyura the Destructor**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: During the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard, you can activate Trap Cards from your hand.**

**(2) Mystical Beast of Serket**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: If you do not control "Temple of the Kings", destroy this card. Banish any monster destroyed by battle with this card. If this card destroys a monster by battle: It gains 500 ATK.**

**(3) Kiseitai**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 300/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When your opponent's monster attacks this card in face-down Defense Position, this card becomes an Equip Spell Card equipped to the attacking monster (No damage calculation is conducted). During each of your opponent's Standby Phases, increase your Life Points by half of the ATK of the monster equipped with this card.**

**(4) Revival Jam**

**Stats: [Aqua/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: WATER**

**Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can pay 1000 Life Points; Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position during your next turn's Standby Phase.**

**(5) Blast Asmodian**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 300)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: If any Spell or Trap Card(s) are Chained, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.**

**(6) Lightning Punisher**

**Stats: [Thunder/Effect] LV: 7 (ATK: 2600/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: After a Chain with 3 or more Links resolves, destroy 1 card on your opponent's side of the field. This effect cannot activate if multiple cards/effects with the same name were activated in that Chain.**

**Please Read And Review.**


	22. Back into the Shadows: Part 2

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>The dark halls of the academy have always been quiet after school hours. But tonight the silence was broken by a series of shuffled footsteps and hoarse breathing. Those belong to Calypso, out of bed and staggering through the hall with a hand leaned against the wall for support.<p>

"It's close. I can feel it…" The female Slifer panted, "It's only a matter of time until…" she trailed off as she tripped over her feet and fell to the floor. The current state she's in made it harder for her to get back up, "Look at you, Calypso, losing the Book of Lost Millennium to a bunch of ghosts. You should be ashamed!"

"Hey, who's that over there?"

Calypso looked up to see someone approaching her. "Just what I need…"

* * *

><p>Inside the dark cloud over the duel tower, the battle between Jason and Chakra and the duelists calling themselves Marik and Bakura continued, "I must say, you two prove to be more entertaining that I gave you credit for." Marik said.<p>

'If by that he means they're holding back, then I can't help but feel insulted,' Chakra thought, 'But I can't give them any excuse to play with their full potential. If they do at least have the same cards as Marik and Bakura, I can't afford to make a mistake. It's best if they remain oblivious…'

"Let's move on with the game, shall we?" Bakura insisted and drew his next card, and Kiseitai's effect triggered.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 8600**

**Jason and Chakra: 8300**

"I activate the spell Card of Sanctity. This allows each player to draw until they hold six cards in their hand," everyone drew until their hand is full, "I think that'll do for now."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman effect, which lets me add my Polymerization card from my graveyard," he added the spell card to his hand, "Next, I activate the equip-spell Scroll of Bewitchment. This card changes the attribute of the monster it's equipped to. So I'm equipping it to Iris, the Earth Mother to change her attribute to FIRE!"

"And for what purpose would that lead?" Bakura questioned.

"So I can activate fuse her with Elemental Hero Woodsman using Polymerization! With those two I can summon the Elemental Hero Nova Master!" Kiseitai's bond to Iris broke as the two monsters merged into the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "And since Iris is sent to the graveyard, so does your other monster, meaning you can't increase your life-points anymore!"

"Very clever…" Bakura muttered.

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat back to the field!" the female fire hero returned (ATK: 1300), "Now I'll have my three heroes attack you directly!" Gaia, Nova Master and Lady Heat monsters charged.

"I discard three cards from my hand to activate Depth Amulet's ability," Bakura's trap formed another barrier against the army of monsters. "So once again, you attack is useless."

"Then I end my turn, which activates Lady Heat's effect!" Lady Heat launched three fireballs.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 8000**

**Jason and Chakra: 8300**

"It's my turn," Marik drew his next card, "And for this next move I'm about to show you a monster unlike anything you've ever seen, by sacrificing your Elemental Hero Nova Master and Elemental Hero Lady Heat!"

"What?!" Jason gasped as both his monsters vanished, "But why my monsters?!"

"Because I'm summoning the monster on your side! Consider it a gift!" suddenly the air began to heat up before a huge mound of molten magma rose behind the enemy's field. It then changed shape until it became a near-shapeless giant (ATK: 3000). But the biggest shocker was the iron cage that suddenly snapped shut around the Slifer.

"Jason!" Chakra cried, seeing her partner hanging imprisoned from the slouching giant's neck.

"I hope you appreciate the (1) Lava Golem(8/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500) I sent you," Marik sneered, "Especially since it's much more powerful than your previous monsters!"

"Jason, don't listen to him!" Chakra pleaded, "Lava Golem takes 1000 out of your life-points before each of your turns!"

"Don't forget your turns as well," Marik reminded the Obelisk, "Remember, you're sharing the same life-points as him. I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn." Chakra and began to draw.

"And during your standby-phase, Lava Golem's effect activates and inflicts 1000 points of direct damage. But since the golem is on Jason's field, you can watch as he starts burning away at his life-points!"

Globs of magma oozing from the golem fell onto the cage and rolled down against the surface. The fiery substance overly heated even the metal around it causing Jason to snatch his hands back from the burning. "Ack! It's hot!"

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 8000**

**Jason and Chakra: 7300**

"And it will only get worse as it comes," Marik said, "You should be honored. You get to experience the very torment I dealt to my enemies so long ago! And what's more, you can't do a thing about it! And here's why…" he opened one of his reverse-cards, which turned into a grotesque-looking mask, "My Mask of Restrict trap card prevents anyone from sacrificing their creatures! So Lava Golem can melt away your life-points during each turn!"

'The only way Jason could get rid of Lava Golem was either sacrifice it or fuse it with one of his heroes!' Chakra thought, 'And he already used up Spiritual Fire Art and Nova Master is already out of commission! And that happened by using Scroll of Bewitchment to meat his requirements…' she looked back over to Jason in anguish, 'That was my fault, Jason! I shouldn't have acted so reckless there! But I'm gonna make it up to you! I just need the right card. Please wait a bit longer…'

Chakra then drew her next card, "I summon (4) Chain Thrasher(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 600) in ATK mode!" a young warrior wearing l leather coat and trousers appeared, holding a chain in his hands (ATK: 1000), "Next I activate my face-down card, Next to be Lost!" the face-down normal-trap opened, "This card allows me to send the same monster that's on my fiend from my deck to the graveyard."

"And why do that?" Marik asked.

Because when Chain Thrasher attacks, another one is added for each Chain Thrasher in my graveyard. And thanks to my trap, I have two, giving him a total of three attacks per turn! And without your Depth Amulet on the field, get ready to take plenty of damage!"

"My trap card will beg to differ," Bakura pressed a button on his duel-disk and a continuous-trap rose up, "Activate Skull Lair!"

"I don't like the sound of that…" Jason muttered as he was forced to watch.

"This card destroys any monster on your field. But in order to do that, it comes with a special price," Bakura raised his duel-disk, "For each level your monsters have, I'm required to banish one monster from my graveyard. I'm holding twenty at this point. And since four of your monsters' levels add up nicely, I decide to remove them all." A sickly white aura went spilling out of his graveyard and littered over the field. They each took form of several duel-monsters, all of them Chakra had never seen Bakura play.

'He wanted to get rid of his monsters!' Chakra gasped in silence.

"Before my monsters leave the duel, though, my Skull Lair allows them to appeared on the field as specters. And your monsters are going to take mine's place in the graveyard!" the ghosts all shot down and ripped through the army of monsters. All that was left now is Revival Jam on one side and Lava Golem on the other. "Well, most of them…"

'Four monsters gone in just one attack!' Chakra grimaced, 'But I'm sure he used up all his monsters just for that one trap card. Maybe that can work to our advantage…' "I place two cards face-down and end my turn." two reverses appeared.

"Looks like it's my turn, now," Bakura drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Magic Planter. But sending one continuous-trap card from my side of the field to the graveyard, I can draw two more cards from my deck. Since I've gotten as much use of Skull Lair as possible, I no longer need it," Skull Lair vanished and Bakura drew twice more, "Next, I activate another spell, Soul Release. This card removes any five monsters in the card graveyard from the game. So with that, I choose to remove Elemental Heroes Gaia, Knospe, Woodsman, Nova Master and Lady Heat from the current duel," Jason frowned as he took the five monsters out of the slot of his graveyard, "Finally I end my turn with a face-down."

"It's my turn." Jason drew his next card.

"And during your standby-phase you take 1000 more points of damage from Lava Golem." Marik added and more globs of lava spilled over Jason's cage.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 8000**

**Jason and Chakra: 6300**

"Jason, try and stay strong!" Chakra cried, before something started pounding her head like and anvil. She held her head to try to contain the migraine until it finally stopped. 'Ugh! What just happened?!'

"Chakra! Are you alright?!" Jason yelled from inside the cage.

"I'm fine!" Chakra groaned, but ensured, "Just hold on, we'll get you out, I promise!"

Marik laughed, "You're joking! You know that's a promise you can't keep!"

'I better hurry up and finish this before things go out of hand!' Jason thought and continued the duel, "I summon Element Saurus in ATK mode!" the bronze-scaled dinosaur appeared (ATK: 1500), "And when there's a fire-attribute monster on the field, Element Saurus gains 500 ATK points (ATK: 2000)! And since Lava Golem in on my side of the field, I'll use it to attack Bakura with a direct attack!" a large ball of flame formed in the golem's mouth before it was spat out towards Bakura.

"I activate my trap card, Zoma the Spirit(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 500)!" Bakura's reverse-card opened and a winged fiend-like creature appeared on the field, which took the blast that destroyed it, leaving wisps of smoke remaining, "I'm not as defenseless as you may think. The card I played became a monster that defended my life-points from your attack. And when this particular monster is destroyed, the ATK points Zoma absorbed from your attack are returned to you as damage!" the wisped formed together into the field and shot towards Lava Golem, slamming Jason hard against the cage. The Slifer quickly recoiled back from the searing heat emanating from the metal.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 8000**

**Jason and Chakra: 3300**

"Jason, are you alright?!" Chakra cried, but suddenly fell to her knees as another, stronger headache was dealt to her.

"He won't be for long!" Marik snickered. "And by the look of things, you don't look too goon either."

"I'm fine, Chakra!" Jason called to his partner, "Element Saurus, attack Bakura directly!" the dinosaur stomped towards Bakura's field.

"I don't think so! I activate my own trap card, Jam Defender!" Marik's reverse-card rose as a continuous-trap card. Element Saurus was ready to attack into the enemy only to bite into a mass of blue slime the pieces leftover hovered the field in pieces, "Anytime you decide to wage an attack, my Jam Defender will ensure that Revival Jam takes the fall!"

"It's like they're blocking every attack thrown at them!" Chakra said.

"I end my turn…" Jason groaned.

"Then it's my turn to draw." Marik drew his next card.

"Which is a perfect time to play this…" Bakura activated another reverse-card, "The continuous-trap card Graverobber's Retribution!"

The card triggered and an ominous aura shot out of Jason's pocket where his banished cards were, taking the form of his six Elemental Hero monsters. "My monsters!" without warning, their ghostly forms phased through the cage and slammed into Jason's gut. The Slifer strained to keep his feet planted and stay away from the bars.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 8000**

**Jason and Chakra: 2700**

"What just happened?!" he wheezed.

"It's like I said before; any monster banished from the graveyard return as phantoms. So these phantoms returned to the field with a vengeance!"

"Vengeance…?"

"That's the power of Graverobber's Retribution. As long as it's active you'll take 100 points of damage for each monster removed from your graveyard during the player's standby-phase."

"But that means we'll take damage each turn!" Chakra realized.

"That's putting it in layman's terms, of course. But since it's Jason's monsters that have been banished, I'm afraid only he will feel their wrath."

'This is bad!' Jason thought, 'I'll keep costing us life-points if I don't do something about these cards!'

"Now back to the duel!" Marik said, "And during my turn, my Revival Jam returns to the field!" the blue mass reappeared (DEF: 800).

"But I already destroyed that monster!" Jason gasped.

"That's what makes Revival Jam so special! It's a shapeless being made completely of plasma, with no solid mass! It's practically invulnerable against physical attacks. So during each standby-phase it happens to be destroyed in battle, it returns to the field for a small price of 1000 life-points!"

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7000**

**Jason and Chakra: 2700**

"Next I activate the Fiend's Sanctuary spell card. This card calls out a Metal Fiend Token(1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0) to my side of the field." A ghost made from metal spheres appeared (ATK: 0).

"A monster with zero ATK points…?" Chakra questioned.

"But comes with a very special-ability," Marik said, "An ability which absorbs a monsters attack and returns the damage to the opponent. Finally I activate the spell card Upstart Goblin. This allows me to draw one card fro my deck. In return, you get an additional 1000 life-points."

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7000**

**Jason and Chakra: 3700**

"That'll be all for my turn."

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card.

"And Lava Golem takes another 1000 from your life-points!"

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7000**

**Jason and Chakra: 2700**

"I summon (5) Disciple of the Forbidden Spell(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 800) in ATK mode!" a warrior in dusty brown clothes appeared holding a large clay jug over his shoulder (ATK: 1700), "Next I'll activate three face-downs: Generation Shift, Chain Healing, and from my hand Chain Summoning!"

Generation Shift: Chain Link 1

Chain Healing: Chain Link 2

Chain Summoning: Chain Link 3

"And just like before, Chain Healing give us 500 extra life-points, and since it's used as the second card in a combo, I have to shuffle it back into my deck. As for Generation Shift, it destroys a monster on my field and lets me add another monster that shares its name from my deck to my hand!" the disciple shattered into pixels.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 7000**

**Jason and Chakra: 3200**

"Surely there's something behind summoning a monster just to destroy it." Bakura scoffed.

"That's where I use Chain Summoning! It can only be used as the third card in a combo, but allows me to summon a monster up to three times this turn! I've already used my first one, and now I'll use it to summon one more Disciple of the Forbidden Spell from my hand!" a second swordsman appeared (ATK: 1700).

"I think this shadow-game is affecting you more that I thought. You sacrificed one monster just to summon the same one."

"And that, another special-ability." The swordsman drew out one of his two swords from his sash. The blade began to glow a deep blue, "When a Disciple is summoned while there's one in my graveyard, and I can select one attribute and whatever monster sharing that attribute is instantly destroyed. And I choose WATER!"

"My Revival Jam!" Marik growled.

"Now my Disciple will attack your Revival Jam!" swordsman cut down the blue slime, its energy branching out and eradication all traces of the slime. "And since your monster's destroyed by a special-ability, you can't use your jam's special-ability to revive it. That ends my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, "And during my standby-phase, I must pay 1000 life-points to keep this Fiend Token on the field. And don't forget about Graverobber's Retribution; for every monster of yours removed from play, they return any battle-damage back to the opponent." The Elemental Hero phantoms reappeared and shot into Jason.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 6000**

**Jason and Chakra: 2600**

"And with that done I think I'll activate the spell card Final Countdown, by playing 2000 life-points, of course." The spell came to life and a set of twenty flames lit up over the arena in a circle.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 4000**

**Jason and Chakra: 2600**

"That will be all for now."

19

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, and the lava began to seep into the cage. The Slifer shirked to a corner while trying to avoid the overheating walls.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 4000**

**Jason and Chakra: 1600**

The heat of the Lava Golem sweltered even more, bringing Jason to the verge of heatstroke, 'If I don't get out of this soon, it's only a matter of time before the lava can get to me!' he look through his hand, desperately trying to find some strategy to escape this combo to the last card he drew. After doing a double take… 'I really hope I can pull this off…' "I activate the spell card Double Summon, which allows me to summon an extra monster this turn! So I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge…" the small ice-armored hero appeared (ATK: 800), "and Elemental Hero Stratos!" the jetpack-wearing hero joined (ATK: 1800), "And when he's summoned, I can activate his effect, which lets me destroy a spell or trap card for each other Elemental Hero on my field! I'll be using his effect to destroy Mask of Restrict!" Stratos's winged jetpack launched a set of tornadoes that ripped through the trap card, "Next, I activate the spell card Gift of the Martyr! By releasing a monster on my field, I can add its ATK points to another monster on the field!"

"So you plan to empower one of your monsters by sacrificing the Lava Golem I went through all the trouble of giving you…" Marik sneered, "That's a pretty smart move. Almost."

"I know what I'm doing! That's why I'm activating Ice's Edge's special-ability! By discarding one card from my hand, Ice Edge can attack you directly!" Jason watched as Marik's smirk dropped as his pinpricked eyes widened. Meanwhile the Lava Golem vanished, cage and all, dropping Jason to the arena floor while the golem's power was absorbed into Ice Edge, adding a crimson tint to his white armor.

"Elemental Hero Ice Edge, attack the opponent directly!" Ice Edge hovered above the floor as he raised his hands over his head. Flame burst to life and spread at an alarming rate. Marik and Bakura watched in both shock and awe at it grew to the size of the late Lava Golem (ATK: 3800). Ice Edge then threw his hands down and sent the giant fireball hurling towards the shadow-duelists. The moment it touched the ground it burst, enveloping them both in fire. Both Marik and Bakura shielded themselves against the flames to no avail until the fire stopped roaring and died out.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 200**

**Jason and Chakra: 1600**

"Impossible!" Marik roared, surprised by the sudden turn of events.

"And since you have less that 1000 life-points, you don't have enough to pay for your Metal Token," Jason confirmed, "I'll end my turn."

18

"So…he bought enough time to draw the cards he needed…" Chakra had to murmur due to the constant headache she's been receiving. "That's one serious problem out of the way. Now for the rest…"

"It's my turn!" Marik drew his next card, and his Metal Token shattered, "And Graverobber's Retribution takes another 600 of your life-points!" the phantoms returned and made another mad dash through Jason. The Slifer groan as he felt the cold vapors rip through him.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 200**

**Jason and Chakra: 1000**

"Hurts, doesn't it? Don't worry, you're not the only one who's suffering."

"What…?" Jason muttered, then realizing what Marik is talking about, "No. Leave Chakra out of this…!"

"I'm afraid it's too late for that. Haven't you noticed anything strange with your friend over there?" Marik pointed to Chakra, "Just as you will receive physical damage, she will suffer with her mind!"

Jason's eyes shot towards Chakra trying to contain her migraine. "What?!"

"The more damage you take the more the damage wedges against her psyche. And as soon as your life-points hit zero her mind will completely shatter!" the Slifer couldn't help but mull over how reckless he had been. If he hadn't been so quick to damaging his opponent and allowed himself to fall into each of their traps…

"Jason, don't you dare worry about me!" Chakra grunted, "I'll be fine. Let's just focus on the duel!"

"That's the spirit," Marik snickered, "Hold tight to that confidence while you still have it! Now back to the duel. I activate the spell card Supremacy Berry to add 2000 to my life-points! What's more, I also activate the quick-play Emergency Provisions! By sacrificing a spell or trap card, I gain 1000 more for my life-points! So by sacrificing Jam Defender and Supremacy Berry, I get a grand total of 4000 points!"

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 4200**

**Jason and Chakra: 1000**

"Finally I summon the monster card (2) Viser Des(4/ATK: 500/DEF: 1200) in DEF mode!" the monster Marik played is a dark, metal idol in the form of a vice of some sort (DEF: 1200), "And this card happens to be one of my favorites. Because now I can attach it to one of you monsters!" the monster flew across the field and latched itself onto Chakra's Disciple of Forbidden Spells, the swordsman struggling to remove it.

"My monster!" Chakra groaned.

"Any attack you deal to me will now be redirected to Viser Des. And this is one monster you can't destroy in battle, at least not until its special-ability triggers at my next standby-phase and destroys the monster it captures! And this is a DARK monster, so your Disciple's ability is completely useless! Try if you want. In the meantime I'll activate the spell Nightmare's Steelcage, preventing anyone from attacking until my next turn!" two large cages dropped down over Jason and Chakra, "I'll turn it over to you."

17

"Alright…" Chakra muttered and drew her next card, 'This is getting really hard to concentrate! But I can't let them know that. I'm just gonna have to tough it out until this is over. And this card, luckily, will keep us on our feet.' "I activate the spell card Reload. Now I shuffle my hand with my deck and draw the same amount of cards," she shuffled and redrew her three cards, 'Perfect!' "I activate the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying one spell/trap card on the field! So your Gravekeeper's Retribution is no more!" the spell summoned a windstorm that tore apart the continuous-trap, "Next I activate another spell, Poisons of the Old Man! This gives me an option to give damage or to take life-points! I choose the effect that increases my life-points my 1200!" as she felt her life-points increase, she also felt her migraines alleviate by a small margin.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 4200**

**Jason and Chakra: 2200**

"Finally I end my turn with this face-down card." With her turn done, Chakra sighed in relief. 'I hope this will give us the edge we need, because this is about all I can do at this point…"

16

"I guess it's my turn again," Bakura drew his next card.

"And let's not forget about Viser Des' special-ability," Marik said, "Now for a small preview of what you have to look forward to!"

Before anyone had time to process what Marik meant, it came to Chakra right from out of nowhere as she felt something pierce into her skull shortly after the vices of Viser Des turned and tightened around the swordsman's head. She dropped to her knees as she clutched her head, trying to fight back having to scream over what was drilling into her.

"What are you doing to her?!" Jason yelled at the shadow-duelist.

"Since I have to wait through the next two standby-phases to destroy her monster, I figured I provide a bit of entertainment. So during each standby-phase Viser Des tightens its grip on her Disciple, she will share the same pain as him!" Eventually the torment stopped and Chakra was straining to stay conscious.

"Are you okay?!" Jason pleaded as Chakra had done for him.

"I'll be alright!" Chakra assured with a strain in her words, "I just…just need to take a…" but Jason knew that she couldn't take another one of Marik's mind games. Ether he needs to get rid of Viser Des or another attack like that could do irreparable damage…

"I'm sure your friend will be alright," Bakura said dispassionately, continuing with the duel, "In the meantime I activate the spell card Gold Sarcophagus!" a large golden casket appeared on the field.

"W-what does that do…?" Jason wondered.

"It lets me take a card from my deck and place it inside this box, where it will stay until my next standby-phase, upon which I can add the card to my hand. And I already know the perfect card…" Bakura's chosen card appeared and lowered itself into the box where it closed over it, "But I'm afraid that's not the end of it, because now I can activate the ability of Necroface!" Another ghost materialized on the field, this one in the silhouette of a head-shaped orb with wriggling tendrils. Suddenly there was a low, deep, yet painful sound ripping through the air causing both academy duelists to cover their ears. By the time them could lower their hands, five cards were forcefully ejected from both their duel-disks, specifically Elemental Hero Voltic, Phantom Magician and Silent Swordsman, "Necroface can be summoned as a phantom to drag other cards with it to limbo; five per duelist to be exact. With that done I'll end my turn with a face-down card."

15

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate the Fusion Recovery magic card! Now I can add Polymerization card with any monster from my graveyard that I used in a fusion!" he returned Poison Rose and Polymerization to his hand, "Next I activate Polymerization to fuse Elemental Hero Ice Edge with Disciple of the Forbidden Spell!"

"My Disciple?" Chakra gasped, then realized what's being done, "Of course! That could work!"

"With those two I summon Elemental Hero The Shining!" the two monsters merged and the star-masked light hero appeared (ATK: 2600), "And as long as he's on the field, he gains 300 ATK points for each Elemental Hero that have been removed from play! Since there are six already, The Shining gains 1800 ATK points!"

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 4400)

"Finally I release Stratos to summon Millennium Shield in DEF mode!" the jetpack hero was replaced by the red-and-gold shield (DEF: 3000), "I end my turn."

14

"It's my turn," Marik drew his next card, and Steelcage's effect expired, taking away the cages, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

13

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "Jason, it's my turn to need a monster from you."

"Then do it." Jason replied.

"I sacrifice Element Saurus to summon this monster: (6) Divine Dragon-Excelion(5/ATK: 1500/DEF: 900)!" the dinosaur vanished and was replaced by a more majestic lizard, a four-horned white dragon with a blazing spine (ATK: 1500), "When this is summoned to the field, Excelion gains an effect for each of the same monster in the graveyard. And thanks to Morphing Jar's effect, I already have one. So I'll have Excelion gain 2500 ATK points!" the head split apart and a second one appeared next to it, inheriting its two smaller horns from the original (ATK: 2500), "Excellion, attack Bakura directly!" the dragon fired a blast of white energy from its mouth.

"I activate the trap card Negate Attack!" Marik's reverse-card opened and a barrier repelled the attack, ending the battle-phase.

"I end my turn…" Chakra concluded.

12

"It's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, and the Gold Sarcophagus opened, "And since to turns have passed since Gold Sarcophagus had been in play, I can add the card it contained straight to my hand. Now get ready to face a creature unlike anything you've seen before. I summon the monster known as (3) Necroface(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1800)!" the monster Bakura summoned was in the shape of an rotting, broken doll's face. The large, cracked gap where the doll's left eye originally was revealed rancid flesh pulsing from inside.

This monster as a whole caused Jason's blood to run icy cold. 'He summoned a weak monster in ATK mode? I don't like this…' suddenly many ghosts appeared in the form of monsters, even Jason's own an a few other cards. They were all then sucked through the gaping mouth of the creature, growing in size as it did, "Those monsters were banished! What's it doing with them?"

As soon as the last monster was sucked in the flesh pulsed faster and grew into a series of tendrils that burst out from the gap. "I'm putting these phantoms to use. Necroface absorbs all phantoms or any other card removed from the duel, returning them all back to their respective owners' decks. And each card absorb gives Necroface 100 ATK points."

"Wait, there were 20 monsters removed using Skull Lair…" Chakra reviewed, retracing her steps, "Then there were five more monsters from Soul Release, add it to the five from each of us from Necroface itself," she then gasped, "That makes…"

"4500 ATK points." Bakura finished for her.

Necroface: (ATK: 5700)

"And if I remember correctly, your Elemental Hero relies on banished cards as well. Too bad they've all been sent back to the deck."

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 2600)

"Now, Necroface, unleash your power and attack!" the monster shot out its tendrils towards Excelion.

"I activate my trap card, Kunai with Chain!" Jason's reverse-card opened and The Shining tied the dark monster with the chained blade, tossing it down to the arena floor. "It switches your monster to DEF mode and gives my monster 500 ATK points!"

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 3100)

"Very well, I'll end my turn with this face-down card." Bakura concluded in disappointment.

11

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "Shining, attack Necroface!" the swords from Shining's ring darted forth towards Necroface.

"Activate trap card: Bark of the Dark Ruler!" Bakura opened a reverse-card, "This card will help my Necroface surpass your monster, but it comes with a hefty price. Fortunately I won't be the one to pay it." Plumes of black smoke appeared and opened a hole in the floor. Two smaller tendrils broke out from the bottom of Necroface and reached inside. What it pulled out caused both Jason and Chakra's eyes to widen.

"Noire…?" the female Ra student was hanging unconscious by her arms by Necroface's stems, "What are you doing with her?!" Chakra demanded.

"So you know her," Bakura said, "We found her wandering about at night and thought we'd relieve some boredom."

"I can tell she had lots of potential, if only she had the courage to use it," Marik said, "So we figured we'd use that potential another way."

"I'm going to ask you once to let her go! This is between the four of us!" Chakra insisted.

"You mean the five of us. Because I plan to put that potential to use with this trap! By paying set amounts of 100 life-points, I can lower the ATK points of one of your monsters by that same amount. Let us thank your friend for the generous donation." Bits of Noire's body start to vanish, whisking away like wisps of smoke until her legs and lower torso disappeared along with portions of her arms, breathed into the mouth of Necroface.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 1100**

**Jason and Chakra: 2200**

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 0)

"And now that your monster has become weaker, the difference in our monsters' points go to you as damage." Soon afterwards the monster let out a scream akin to a roar not made by any known animal. The Shining as well as the two academy duelists covered their ears from now sheer volume.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 1100**

**Jason and Chakra: 400**

'I don't believe it. We were close to beating it!' Jason grimaced, 'Now they involved Noire too!' the Slifer looked up to the sky where the circle of torches were lit, only to find nine of them missing. "Chakra, I think you should look up there…"

"Yeah, I noticed," Chakra said, looking up to the torches as well, "It's like one goes out with each turn passing…"

"I was wondering how long it would take for you to notice," Bakura smirked, "While you two were focusing on what's in front of you, the real threat hovers right over your heads."

"You played a spell card Final Countdown," Chakra replied, "What does it do."

"I figured a duelist of your caliber would figure it out by its name alone. The card itself activates a countdown, each of the twenty torches extinguished symbolizing each turn passed. And each turn brings you closer to your destruction. Need I remind you of the legendary Exodia?"

"The Forbidden One?!" Chakra shuddered, "You don't mean…"

Bakura chuckled, "Automatic Victory. Twenty turns from when Final Countdown activates, the duel ends and victory instantly goes to me."

"So since there are eleven torches still lit…" Chakra trailed off.

'They'll be halfway to winning after this!' Jason realized, 'I have to find a way to end this duel before all the torches go out!' "I end my turn by activating Rain of Mercy! Now we both get 1000 life-points!" rain began to drizzle over the entire field, even restoring Noire's body a bit.

10

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 2100**

**Jason and Chakra: 1400**

'I hope Chakra can figure out something, because that's the best I have! If that thing attacks The Shining on its next turn, we'll lose!'

"It's my turn!" Marik drew his next card, "And I'll place one card face-down for now."

9

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I switch Excelion to DEF mode and place one card face-down. That ends my turn."

8

"Then it's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, "I switch Necroface back into ATK mode (ATK: 5700). Then I'll have it attack you Elemental Hero!"

"I activate the trap card Covering Fire!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "This card adds the ATK points of another monster to The Shining! So he gains Excelion's ATK points for this turn!"

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 5100)

"Too bad it's not enough to stop Necroface's ATK," the monster unleashed an onminous scream that ruptured the Elemental Hero and shattered him.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 2100**

**Jason and Chakra: 800**

Jason sank to his knees as his and Chakra's score had been halved. "That's it! That was the best card I had to use in battle and it still isn't enough!"

"So you finally reach the limit of your strength, have you? You know what that means, right? It means there's not a monster in your possession that can stand up to Necroface!"

7

"It's my turn…" Jason drew his next card, 'This card would've been useful if Necroface's ATK wasn't too high. But I should at least make it look like it can do something…' "I place one card face-down in the field," a reverse-card appeared. "That's it."

6

"That's all? I expected more fight from you!" Marik drew his next card, "But I suppose it wouldn't matter, because there's not a monster that can break through my defense. And to fortify it, I activate my face-down card Metal Reflect Slime!" a reverse-card opened and giant mass of mercury-silver slime appeared, "It's a trap and a monster! When it's summoned to the field, it gains 0 ATK points but, 3000 DEF points! With that, I end my turn. Let's see if you can summon a powerful-enough monster…"

5

"It's my turn," Chakra drew his next card, "I activate my face-down: the trap card Raigeki Break! By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can destroy one card on the field! And the card I have in mind is your Necroface!"

"A clever move, but unfortunately it will turn on you!" Bakura opened one of his reverse-cards, "I activate my face-down card, My Body as a Shield! It negates and destroys your trap at the cost of 1500 of my life-points! You know what that means now, don't you?" Necroface lift Noire right in front of it.

"No!" Chakra gasped. It was too late to stop her attack as her trap fired a torrent of lightning, which struck Noire in Necroface. Even unconscious she was still able to feel the attack as she screamed in agony.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 600**

**Jason and Chakra: 800**

"Anything else you'd like to try this turn?" Bakura scoffed.

"I switch Excelion to DEF mode…" Chakra concluded.

4

"Then I guess it's my turn," Bakura drew his next card, "Necroface, attack and destroy that pesky dragon of hers!" the monster released another shriek that destroyed Excelion, "And before I end my turn I'll enhance my monster with the equip-spell card Mist Body. Now Necroface can't be destroyed by battle. Not that there's a monster in your deck that can destroy it, but you can't be too careful."

"Now do you see how hopeless this is? The only way to win this duel and leave the Shadow Realm is to bring the opponents' life-points to zero. And with what's on the field, it's near to impossible. There's only one monster between you and no cards I you hand."

'He's right. We usually use multiple cards to get by,' Jason grimaced, 'How are we supposed to win?!'

"What are you waiting for? You can't stall forever. You might as well draw and get your turn over with."

3

Jason looked down at his deck, 'If I draw a monster, it won't be strong enough! Most of my spells are useless without a monster to use it on, and I'd have to wait one turn to play a trap card; and that would be a turn too late!'

"I'm still waiting! Or would you rather forfeit and save yourself any more futile resistance!"

"My turn…" Jason drew his next card, 'This card looks powerful, but I need a monster with enough ATK points…' he looked up to the sky where the three torches remain, 'We only have until the end of Chakra's turn to…' "That's it!"

"What's it?" Chakra asked.

'I may not be able to end this duel this turn, but Chakra might!' Jason looked towards Chakra, "I think I know a way to get out of this! But I'm gonna need your help!"

"If you know something, then tell me! This is our last chance!"

"I have something that I think can weaken Necroface! All we need is a monster with at least 1800 ATK points!"

"So you can take away Necroface's ATK points?"

"Yes, but it won't do much good without a monster we can attack with! Can you help me with that?"

"If I can draw the right card!"

"Thank you! I place one card face-down and end my turn!" Jason concluded with a reverse-card, 'Just two more turns! We need something before Final Countdown runs out!'

"Whatever you're planning won't save you!" Marik drew his next card, "If you're planning to weaken Necroface's power using that face-down card, then all I have to do is prevent you from attacking it! So I think I'll play this: the equip-spell Ring of Magnetism!"

Chakra gasped, "But with that…"

"By sacrificing 500 of a monster's ATK and DEF points, I can attract any and every attack you play to throw," a ring of green energy formed around Viser Des (ATK: 0/DEF: 700), "With this my defense is impenetrable! Even if you attempt to weaken Necroface, it won't do any good if you can't attack it! This duel is over! There's nothing you can do now is wait until the effect of Final Countdown takes a three of you to the Shadow Realm!"

"Don't listen to him Chakra! We can still win this!"

"Do you think so?"

"Yes I do! All we need is one more turn: yours! If you can summon enough monster, we can win the duel!"

"It's my turn!" Chakra drew her next card and looked at it, "Jason, I need a monster!"

"Then go ahead!"

"I sacrifice Jason's Millennium Shield so I can summon another Divine Dragon-Excelion!" the golden shield was then replaced by another white dragon (ATK: 1500), "And since there's another Divine Dragon in my graveyard, this dragon gains an additional 1000 ATK points!" the dragon's head then divided into three, each one letting out a mighty roar the moment they appeared (ATK: 2500).

"You must not be paying attention when I activated my equip-spell. Not only will any attack be redirected to Viser Des, the monster itself can't be destroyed by battle! I bet you wished you ha toughened out more through Viser's effect. Your monster would've been destroyed; at least Viser Des' would've been easier to destroy! So unless you plan to nullify both spells and monster effects withy just one card, I'm afraid you wasted your turn."

"Jason!" Chakra turned to the Slifer. "Are you ready to activate your card yet?"

"I'm ready! I activate my trap card, Judgment of the Pharaoh!" Jason's reverse-card opened and the trap came to life. When Marik and Bakura both saw the what's printed on the card, it was finally their turn to shiver, "This card has two effects, each one can be activated if a card representing its effect is in my graveyard! And one of them is the one I discarded using Ice Edge's effect!" he took the card out of his graveyard and showed it to his opponents, "It's the magic card Yu-Jo Friendship! And with it in the graveyard, the effects of all your monsters on the field is negated!"

"I thought we've been over this! That trap you played only seemed to negate monster effects! My spell card Ring of Magnetism is still in effect! So your dragon's attack will still be redirected to Viser Des. And since it's in DEF mode there won't be any damage!"

"You may have rendered our cards powerless, but my Necroface still holds one more ace!" Necroface held Noire back up in front of it, "Remember it still holds a hostage?"

"Don't tell me you've forgotten your Ra Yellow friend," Marik sneered, "Just think about it. You may be able to take out our life-points, but you'll also be destroying your friend in the process!" he dropped his smirk as the dragon growled and its three mouths opened with white flame, "Wait a minute! You're not really planning to attack! Remember, if you destroy Necroface you'll destroy your friend!" as if on cue, the hostage stirred and her eyes fluttered open. "And speak of the devil. It looks like our sleeping beauty has finally awoken.

'Noire? She's awake?!' Chakra gasped before shouting, "Noire! Is that you?! Please, wake up!"

"Huh…?" Noire's head moved to the sound of Chakra's voice, "Chakra…"

"Yes! It's me!"

"It was strange…last thing I remembered was…" when Noire tried to move but couldn't, she was becoming more aware of her surroundings, "My arms…why can't I move them?"

"Noire, I need you to do me a favor, okay?" Chakra said, trying to console the Ra, "I need you to stay calm and do not panic!"

"Why? What's going on?" nearly fully awake, Noire found herself hovering over a dueling ring. What's more, she couldn't find most of her body as it was nonexistent, "My legs…I can't feel my legs…! Where are my legs!?"

"Looks like you can't keep her calm for long," Bakura said, "Once she realizes the danger she is in, she'll see that she has every right to be afraid."

Noire turned her head back to the source of the new voice, only to yelp at the sight of the hideously grotesque doll face. She tried to run but its tendrils kept her close, "What's going on?!" she repeated, "What is that thing?!"

'Noire's starting to panic! This can't be good!' Jason grimaced, "Noire, just stay calm! We'll get you out!"

"Let me go! Somebody please get me out!" Noire wrestled to break herself free but Necroface tightened its grip. The only thing her struggle had done was causing her to drop her glasses onto the floor.

"Struggle all you want," Bakura said, "You won't be let go unless I say you could."

""Let me go…let me go…" Noire's begging slowly became snarling, "I'm asking you nicely to let me go!" more pressure was applied to Noire's strength as the Ra Yellow continued to struggle against Necroface's grip. As she was ding that, he body started to return.

"She's restoring herself?! How is she able to do that?!"

"I said let me go, right now! Are you even listening?!" Noire thrashed about when suddenly she saw able to grab hold of Necroface's tendrils and yanked back. She finally got her feet on the ground as she began swinging the monster against them, "Get your tentacles off me!"

"This could be a problem…"

"I will not be trapped like a rat!" Noire twirled the monster around one last time before she slammed it against the floor. The monster finally loosened it grip and released her.

Both Marik and Bakura were shocked and surprised that the girl was able to break free of their shadow power. Jason just stood there with his jaw hung open, and Chakra stood wondering what exactly happened. Only Chakra managed to say something at the moment, "Noire, are you alright?!"

"I will be…" the Ra replied, rubbing her wrists, "If someone can tell me what going on!"

"This is absurd!" Marik gasped, "She was unconscious by the time I was through with her! There's no way she could have any strength left to even move! Just who is this girl?!"

"I don't care who she is, no one has a strong-enough will to withstand a shadow-game. It's clear you've been slacking off from your time imprisoned."

"How dare you call me a slacker, you idiot! And besides I could tell the same thing about you! You were playing Backseat Duelist and throwing away monsters while I was doing most of the grunt work!"

"And if it weren't for my 'backseat dueling' I wouldn't have been able to conjure a powerful monster nor decimate their monsters, both in which you couldn't do! In fact, it was your fault that boy in red managed to majorly damage our life-points!"

"And it's your fault that you keep wasting life-points!"

"I don't care who's to blame!" Chakra interrupted, "Just remember that without you special-abilities Necroface's power returns to its original 1200!"

"I'm well aware of how my own monster works!" Bakura spat, "Don't you forget that our spells are still active. So go ahead and make your move while you still can!"

"That's why I'll counter my trap with the quick-play magic card Unity!" Jason opened his second and last reverse-card. "And once it's sent to the graveyard, it give my trap another effect, which then cancels out every effect from magic and traps cards!"

"But then every card on our field will lose its power!" Marik gasped as his Ring of Magnetism shorted out.

"All that planning and hard work, wasted!" Bakura growled.

"Now Excelion, get ready to attack!" Chakra ordered, the three-headed dragon opened all three of its mouths as each of them ignited with white fire, "Noire, you better get back!" the Ra said nothing and instead backed away to the other two students behind the dragon, "End this with Ultimate Burstfire!" in one breath the dragons let out their flames that combined into a massive blaze that covered the opposing field. The inferno incinerated both monsters and duelists. The cries of anguish and defeat barely outmatched the roar of the fire.

**Yami Marik and Yami Bakura: 0**

**Jason and Chakra: 800**

The large bubble of black smoke began to shed strips of white light and eventually the orb shattered with it. The tower arena can now be seen from the outside as Jason, Noire and Chakra stood on it. The duelists Marik and Bakura were nowhere to be seen.

"They're gone…" Jason was able to mutter.

"But where'd they gone to?" Noire questioned.

"The shadow-game they put us in must have demanded a cost for losing a duel. And it seemed they had to pay it," Chakra said, walking towards the book that has been left on the ground. She was ready to pick it up when suddenly something huge and black loomed in and snatched it up. The three students watched as its wings carried it away with the book, disappearing inside the large, inactive volcano. "The book!"

"Wait, what about a book?!" Noire asked, "Will someone please tell me what's going on?!"

"I don't believe it! A duel-arena up here?!" a gasped came from behind where the three spotted Rock as he came from the elevator closest to them.

"Rock? What are you doing here?" Chakra asked.

No one had time to reply as the wind picked up and a helicopter can be seen hovering down overhead.

"Jason!" Chakra called over the wind, "Did you tell anyone else we were here?!"

"No, I didn't!" Jason replied.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Lava Golem**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must first be Special Summoned (from your hand) to your opponent's side of the field by Tributing 2 monsters they control. You cannot Normal Summon/Set the turn you Special Summon this card. During each of the controller's Standby Phases: The controller takes 1000 damage.**

**(2) Viser Des**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 500/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, select 1 monster your opponent controls. Destroy that monster during your 3rd Standby Phase after the Summon. This card cannot be destroyed by battle until this effect is resolved.**

**(3) Necroface**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 1800)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, shuffle all removed from play cards into their owners' Decks. This card gains 100 ATK for each of those cards. When this card is removed from play, both players remove from play the top 5 cards of their Deck.**

**(4) Chain Thrasher**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 600)**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: This card can attack 1 additional time during the same Battle Phase for each "Chain Thrasher" in your Graveyard.**

**(5) Disciple of the Forbidden Spell**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: When this card is Summoned, declare different Monster Card Attributes equal to the number of "Disciple of the Forbidden Spell"(s) in your Graveyard. If this card attacks a monster that has a declared Attribute, destroy the monster with this card's effect without applying damage calculation.**

**(6) Divine Dragon-Excelion**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 900)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, it gets 1 of the following effects for each "Divine Dragon - Excelion" in your Graveyard when this effect resolves (your choice). These effects cannot accumulate. ● This card gains 1000 ATK. ● If this card destroys your opponent's monster by battle, it can attack once again in a row. ● When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	23. End of a Dark Legacy

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>The three academy duelists watched in awe as a helicopter hovered closely to the arena they're standing on. It lowered a ladder before a voice sounded from it.<p>

"You in the red, grab onto the ladder and let us take you where you need to go!"

"Where did they come from?" Chakra wondered as she looked up to the helicopter, "And what could they want with Jason?"

"Hey, look on the side!" Rock pointed to the side of the vehicle, where the letters 'KC' were printed, "Isn't that what KaibaCorp usually has?"

"KaibaCorp?" Chakra repeated and saw the same insignia, "Is that who I think it is?"

"We don't have a lot of time! Are you coming along or not?"

"I don't like the look of this," Chakra looked to Jason to find him already climbed onto the ladder, "Jason, what are you doing?!" she ran to him but the helicopter rose up and carried Jason with him, "What is he thinking?!" she questioned in confusion as she watched Jason being carried away.

* * *

><p>'This all seemed too weird,' Jason thought as he let the helicopter carry him to the volcano, 'But if that book's been taken, that means someone else wants it! I hope I'm not walking into some sort of trap…'<p>

A few moments passed before the helicopter slowed and lowered the ladder onto a small bridge where Jason disembarked. Looking around, he realized that the bridge was in the form of a dueling platform, and he spotted someone else on the opposite side. It was a tall man with short brown hair, wearing a long black sleeveless coat with shoulder pads and a raised collar, over a black sleeves from his shirt coming out from under.

"So, you made it out of that shadow-duel in one piece," the man said, "But then again I'm not surprised. They were just ghosts you just defeated."

"Something came through here with something!" Jason said. He spotted something being held in the man's right arm, as well as something in his left hand, "Do you know anything about it?"

"Maybe I do…"

"Is that a book you're holding?"

"You sure ask a lot of questions. Tell you what, how about you and I have a little duel?"

"I don't think you understand, that book is dangerous and I need it back!"

"I don't think you have a choice in the matter. Look around you. This happens to be a duel-arena reserved only for very special events. The only way to or from here is by helicopter."

"So why am I here?"

"Like I said, we're going to have a duel. I've heard good thing about you, and I would like to see how well you can hold against me."

Jason blinked. "You have...?"

So if you want your precious book, you're gonna have to prove that you're ready for what it's capable of."

'I guess I don't have any choice…' "Fine." Jason activated his duel-disk.

"That's more like it," the duelist put the book down next to his feet and lowered the briefcase to open it, where he pulled out a duel-disk and strapped it on his arm. The duel-disk was in the form of a fan of sectioned metal and was then activated. "Let's see what you're really made of."

* * *

><p>"Did anyone see something stuck on the top of that mountain?" Rock asked, looking towards the object near the top of the volcano.<p>

"If I didn't know better I'd say that's another dueling arena." Chakra guessed. "But if that's where Jason was carried off to, then he could only sent there for one reason. Someone's wanting to duel him!"

"Hey, speaking of, anyone wanna tell me what you're doing up here in the middle of the night?"

"Get in line," Noire said as she picked her glasses up and polished them, "I have a few questions I want answered, too. To start, you mind telling me why I woke up on top of Duel Academy?"

Chakra paused before replying, "You won't believe me if I told you…"

"Try me."

* * *

><p><strong>Jason: 4000<strong>

**Mystery Duelist: 4000**

"I'll go first!" Jason called and drew his sixth card, "I set one monster in DEF mode and place one card face-down," two set cards appeared, "I end my turn."

"That's all? I'm already disappointed," the duelist said and started his turn, "Here's a strategy you'll might find most complicated: I activate the continuous-spell card Frontline Base. And with it I'll summon the union-monster (1) Pitch-Dark Dragon(3/ATK: 900/DEF: 600)." A spiny black dragon appeared on the field (ATK: 900).

'I never seen that kind of monster before,' Jason thought with caution, 'I wonder what monster he's planning to use with it…'

"And since my dragon is special-summoned this turn, I can summon another monster on the field, like my Dark Blade(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1500)," a knight in fearsome black armor appeared with two swords in hand (ATK: 1800), "And as you're about to see, these monsters go quite well together. So I merge Dark Blade with my Pitch-Dark Dragon, giving him 400 extra ATK and DEF points," the knight jumped ontop of the dragon's back (ATK: 2200/DEF: 1900), "And now my united monster will attack your face-down monster!" the dragon fired a ball of flame from its mouth and destroyed the sent monster, which was revealed as Phantom Magician (DEF: 700). Jason guarded himself as the flames spread out around him before going out.

**Jason: 2500**

**Mystery Duelist: 4000**

"Oh, and did I forget to mention, that my dragon give Dark Blade the power to bypass your monster's defense? You'll take damage no matter what position they are."

Jason shrugged off the attack, "When Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle, I can summon a monster with 1000 ATK points or less from my deck. So I can summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000).

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." A reverse-card appeared.

* * *

><p>"That's what happened in the abandoned dorm that night…?" Noire muttered, her glasses now back on her, trying to comprehend everything she and Rock had just been told. "Then what I woke up to, that was all real?!" she shuddered and then jumped as the recent memories came back to her, "Aagh! That thing touched me! That ugly monster thing really touch me!"<p>

"And that book's the cause of all this?" Rock confirmed, "So what, now someone else is using it?"

"It's possible," Chakra said, "The book slipped through our fingers and it was carried off over there," she pointed to the platform at the mouth of the volcano, "That's where Jason went. And you can bet there's something waiting for him there."

"Then what are we waiting for!" Rock exclaimed, "Let's get going and help him! If that have that evil magic book then whoever Jason's dueling means serious business!"

"I agree with you, Rock. It's just that getting up there may be the hard part. Remember, there's an actual mountain standing between us and Jason. And I haven't seen any pathways anywhere on or near the surface since we got here…"

"We won't know unless we try!" Rock stated, "I say we go!"

"You know, this whole thing sounds pretty extreme," Noire mumbled, twiddling her fingers, "And I have been taken hostage once already earlier, so, maybe I can sit this one out…?"

"Hey, where's your sense of adventure?" Rock boasted as he wrapped his arm over her shoulders, "Besides, the worst is over, isn't it? This is just the three of us out to watch another duel! Wouldn't you want your friends out there rooting for you?"

"I do, but…"

"Speaking of which…" Chakra began fiddling with her duel-disk, "there's actually a way we can find out if Jason's dueling without wasting time looking for it."

"What's that?" Rock asked.

"I'll just enable the live-feed on my duel-disk and sync with a duel currently in progress. If Jason's in it, we'll know for sure."

"Really? I didn't know duel-disks work that way!"

"Well, you might want to check your manual next time," Chakra's duel-disk then made a couple of beeps, "I think I got it!" both Rock and Noire gathered around her to witness the results.

_"It's my turn!"_ they heard Jason say.

"Hey, it worked!" Rock said.

* * *

><p>"I activate Woodsman's effect and add one Polymerization card from my deck to my hand," the spell card was added to his hand, "Next, I activate Polymerization and use Elemental Heroes Heat and Ocean to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two heroes merged into the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "Nova Master, attack Dark Blade!" the hero launched himself and punched at the dragon and warrior, which a large blaze covered them both. After the attack, only the warrior remained (ATK: 1800).<p>

"When Dark Blade is to be destroyed in battle while united with Pitch-Dark Dragon, the union-monster takes its place," the duelist explained, "But the original monster remains."

'It's like any other union-monster. But since my duel with Chazz and Noire, I think I have a way around it…' "I activate the quick-play magic card De-Fusion! Now Nova Master leaves the field and the monsters used to summon him reappears!" Elemental Heroes Heat (ATK: 1600) and Ocean (ATK: 1500) appeared, "And when Elemental Hero Heat is on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for every Elemental Hero monster on the field (ATK: 2200), "Now Heat, attack Dark Blade!"

"I activate the trap card Negate Attack!" the duelist opened his reverse-card, where a vortex pushed back the attack. "And not only is your attack negated, but your battle-phase ends."

Jason groaned, "I end my turn."

"Then it's my move," the duelist drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Cost Down. By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can decrease the level of every monster in my hand by two. So with the effect I can summon the level-5 monster (2) Kiryu(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1500), which is now a level-3!" another dragon appeared, this one much larger that the previous one with red scales (ATK: 2000), "And like its predecessor, I can combine it with Dark Blade, giving him 900 additional points!" the warrior was soon riding on the back of another dragon (ATK: 2700/DEF: 2400). "But my dragon won't be around for long because I sacrifice my dragon for its even more powerful stronger special-ability!" the dragon beat its wings and began to ascend into the sky, where it suddenly became surrounded by blue flame, "By sending this union-monster to the graveyard, I can have my Dark Blade attack directly!"

"Attack directly?!" Jason gasped.

"Go, my Dark Blade! Dragon Master Blaze Attack!" the knight guided the flaming dragon straight towards Jason, where a huge explosion took place. As the smoke cleared, Dark Blade remained and retreated back to its home field (ATK: 1800).

**Jason: 700**

**Mystery Duelist: 4000**

* * *

><p>"It's just started and Daichi's already took some nasty hits!" Rock cringed.<p>

"Daichi?"

"Never mind! He just better shape up or the only way this duel will go for him is down!"

* * *

><p>"With that done I activate my last card, Card of Sanctity. This allows both of us to draw until we hold six cards in our hand," the duelists replenished their hands, "Finally I place three cards face-down and end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy! Now we both get 1000 life-points!"

**Jason: 1700**

**Mystery Duelist: 5000**

"Next I activate Woodsman's effect, which also lets me add Polymerization to my hand from the graveyard!" he added the spell to his hand, "Now I activate the magic card Polymerization!"

"Before you can get to any fusing, I play a little trap…" the duelist activated a continuous-trap on his field, "It's called DNA Transplant. And by declaring a single attribute, all monsters on the field will become that attribute. And I think I'll have all monsters become dark-attribute!"

* * *

><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" Rock wondered.<p>

"It means this duelist managed to hinder Jason's fusion technique," Chakra explained, "With a field full of DARK monsters, Jason would have a hard time fusing the monsters he needs."

"But that card only works on the field, right?" Noire asked, "What about the monsters in Jason's hand?"

* * *

><p>'I don't have any dark-attribute fusion-monster. But maybe I could find a way around it…' "I'll use Elemental Hero Ocean on my field with Lady Heat from my hand. With those two I can bring back Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the armored fire hero returned (ATK: 2600), "Nova Master, do it like last time and attack Dark Blade!"<p>

"I activate yet another trap, Roll Out!" the duelist opened another trap card, "This arms my Dark Blade with a union-monster that's in my graveyard. And the monster I chose to unite my Dark Blade with will be its loyal servant Kiryu!" the red dragon rose up and once again carried Dark Blade onto its back (ATK: 2700), "And with its new power, my Dark Blade counterattacks and destroys your Nova Master!" the dragon let out a large blaze that destroyed the fire hero.

**Jason: 1600**

**Mystery Duelist: 5000**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Jason set a reverse-card.

* * *

><p>"It's the same thing all over again!" Rock cried, "Jason better have something planned!"<p>

"Knowing his deck, he's got just the card for this kind of situation." Chakra said.

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," the duelist drew his next card, "And during this turn I separate Dark Blade and Kiryu back into their separate forms, making Kiryu into a monster once again," The knight jumped of from the red dragon (ATK: 2000), "Next, I activate the spell card Ante. And here's how it works: each of us will show the other player a monster from their hand. And the monster with the weakest level is sent to the graveyard and its player must take 1000 points of damage," the duelist dipped his head, sneering, "Of course you can choose a spell or trap card, but they would only count as monsters with no levels at all."<p>

* * *

><p>"It sounds like he's about to wage a different kind of battle, with the monsters in the hand!" Chakra deducted.<p>

"I didn't know there's a card that can do that!" Rock said.

"This card is dangerous. He must have a very powerful monster waiting in his hand to play this spell with such confidence."

* * *

><p>'He must be have a monster with a high level in his hand. He wouldn't play that card just to lose life-points. But do I have a strong-enough monster…?' "I choose this card!" he made his decision and revealed a card from his hand.<p>

"And here's my selection…" Jason revealed his own card.

* * *

><p>A brief clash can be heard over Chakra's duel-disk, ending with a shrilling roar of victory.<p>

"Wait! Did you guys hear that?!" Rock asked.

"We all heard it," Chakra said, "And since it's not like any monster from Jason's deck, it would be safe to assume that he lost."

"No, it's not that! I mean haven't you heard that roar from somewhere before? I can't put my foot on it but it sounded all too familiar…"

* * *

><p><strong>Jason: 600<strong>

**Mystery Duelist: 5000**

"You must have a bad hand to pick a spell card," the duelist laughed, "Now I sacrifice my two monsters. It's time to properly introduce you to my most-prized beast!" the two monsters vanished and a much larger monster appeared. The beast let out another roar, making its declaration.

"What is that monster?" Jason shuddered.

"I suppose you couldn't tell from up close. After all, it's not every day one faces a Blue-Eyes White Dragon(8/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500)."

* * *

><p>"Blue-Eyes White Dragon?!" Chakra gasped, not bothering to hide her shock.<p>

"I knew that roar was familiar!" Rock exclaimed, "That's the legendary cry of the Blue-Eyes!"

"But there's only one person in the world with a card like that!" Noire said, "Does that mean…"

"There's no doubt about it, our friend's caught up in a duel with _the_ Seto Kaiba!"

* * *

><p>Jason couldn't help but stare at the large, black-scaled dragon standing in front of him (ATK: 3000). 'I've heard of a card like that! So that's a Blue-Eyes White Dragon?!' "But…then why is it black?"<p>

"I suppose this would contradict its name, but remember my DNA Transplant trap card in play. All monsters on the field become dark-attribute. Now, my Blue-Eyes White Dragon, rise and attack!" the dragon flapped its wings and hovered over the field, "Attack with White…no, _Black_ Lightning!" the dragon opened its mouth and a pitch black energy was quickly released towards Elemental Hero Heat.

"I activate my trap cards!" Jason exclaimed and both reverse-cards opened. The attack connected and created a large explosion. The dust parted to reveal Elemental Hero Woodsman standing in front of Heat defensively.

"Something's not right. My dragon is the strongest monster in the game. It should have more than enough power."

"One of the cards I activated was Covering Fire!" Jason explained, "This card combines the ATK points of 2 monsters! That gives Woodsman's ATK points to Elemental Hero Heat (ATK: 3000)! The second was Kunai with Chain! By equipping it to Elemental Hero Heat, he gains 500 ATK points (ATK: 3500)! With all of these cards combined they become stronger than your dragon!" Heat swung its flaming blade by its chain and threw it at the dragon, slashing it and destroying the monster. What remained dispersed as tiny black spores that floated down to the field.

**Jason: 600**

**Seto Kaiba: 4500**

'What's that?' Jason wondered as the spores reached the field. He then saw Woodsman holding his neck as if he were choking. 'My monster!"

"That attack is going to cost you!" Kaiba snapped, and then grinned and opened his reverse-card, "And I mean that literally! I activate my trap card, Deck Devastation Virus! Since you destroyed a DARK monster with at least 2000 ATK, you released this contagious disease that infects all monster 1500 ATK points and weaker on your field, hand and deck. So now they're instantly destroyed!"

Jason grimaced as Woodsman suffocated from the spores before he was destroyed, as well as all or Jason's other monsters that the virus infected.

* * *

><p>"Most of Jason's monsters have less than 1500 ATK!" Rock said, "He had a hard enough time fusing his monsters, now it'll be harder for him to even draw one!"<p>

"Something's wrong," Chakra grimaced, "That virus card should've just destroyed whatever monster he draws, not his deck altogether! That must be the prototype he's using!"

"Then it must be him," Noire whimpered, "I mean, who else can use virus cards _but_ Seto Kaiba?"

* * *

><p>"And with that done, I'll activate the continuous-spell card Swords of Concealing Light," upon activation, many dark swords fell and embedded themselves around Jason's monsters. A black fog rose over around them and hidden them from sight, "These darkness-empowered swords will conceal and imprison your monsters. They're forced face-down and remain face-down for the next two turns. So even when they're on the field you can't do a thing with them," 'Kaiba' then snickered, "After all, a special-ability can't activate unless a card's face-up. I'll end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'Most of the monster I have, destroyed with just one trap card! And it's my fault it happened! I have to be more careful…' "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," 'Kaiba' drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards from my deck," he drew two more times, "Next I activate another spell card, The Shallow Grave. This allows both players to summon a monster from out graveyards, but only in DEF mode face-down," a monster was set on the duelist's field and so was Jason's. "Then I place one more card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'If there's nothing in my hand that will help, my maybe the monsters on my field will buy me some time…' "I pass…"

"It seems that you can't do anything with your monsters," 'Kaiba' drew his next card, "A true duelist explores every angle for a source of strength, whether it be monster, spell or trap cards. And on that topic, I activate my face-down card, Solomon's Lawbook!" a reversed trap card opened on his field, "This skips my next standby-phase. Normally, my swords would vanish after two turns. But thanks to this trap card, they won't be going anywhere."

* * *

><p>"What's that supposed to mean?" Rock asked, confused.<p>

"It means Swords of Concealing Light last until the player's second standby-phase," Chakra replied, "But since Solomon's Lawbook can allow a player to skip their next standby-phase, it's a perfect contingency because now that it was played on the turn the swords were supposed to expire," she looked at Rock, who still had a puzzled look, "Solomon's Lawbook caused the swords to miss their deadline."

"Oh! And here I thought deadlines are just for homework!"

* * *

><p>"Now those monsters trapped within the confines of the swords will stay trapped! As for me, I summon the monster I had face-down, Blue-Eyes White Dragon," a second black-scaled dragon appeared (ATK: 3000), "Now my Blue-Eyes with attack one of your face-down monsters!" the dragon fired and destroyed Elemental Hero Heat, "Finally I end my turn by playing the continuous-spell card Shard of Greed."<p>

'Shard of Greed? Like Pot of Greed?' Jason wondered, but pulled his focus back to the duel, "It's my turn," he drew his next card, but got nothing useful, 'Still nothing…' "I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," 'Kaiba' drew his next card, "I'll have Blue-Eyes attack another face-down card! Black Lightning Attack!" the dragon let out a stream of dark energy into the barrier of swords. The fog dissipated around the monster to reveal a large shield.

"The monster you attacked was my Millennium Shield!" Jason announced.

* * *

><p>"That thing's got the same DEF points as Blue-Eye's ATK points!" Rock whooped, "There's no way that attack can get through!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I do admit, you have a powerful defensive monster, but you can only go so far even with that. I'll end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'Maybe this will help…' "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," 'Kaiba' drew his next card, "It's been two turns since I left Shard of Greed on the field. So now I can send it to the graveyard to draw two more cards from my deck," he drew two more times, "I'll end my turn with one card face-down." A reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'Finally, something I can use!' "I activate the magic card Fusion Recovery! Now I can return Polymerization and an monster card from my graveyard and add it to my hand!" he retrieved his two cards, "Next I summon Homunculus the Alchemic Being!" the humanoid plant appeared.

* * *

><p>"That could work…" Chakra muttered.<p>

"Huh? What could work?" Noire asked.

"Homunculus has the power to change its own attribute. So even if it's written over by DNA Transplant, Homunculus can write override the trap's effect with its own!"

"That mean's he's back in business!" Rock said, "All he has to do then is bring out Polymerization and he'll be good as gold to summon whatever monster he needs now!"

* * *

><p>"Now I activate his special-ability and change his attribute to WIND! Next I activate Polymerization and fuse Ocean with Elemental Hero Heat to summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" Heat managed to break through the barrier of swords and jumped into a vortex with Stratos. From there the heavily armored wind hero appeared (ATK: 2800), "And when he's summoned, your monster's points are cut in half!" the fans on Great Tornado's burst and the twisters slammed into the dragon.<p>

Blue-Eyes White Dragon: (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1250)

"Great Tornado, attack!" the hero raised his arms and a larger tornado erupted from under the dragon and destroyed it, with its destruction came more spores that spread towards Jason's field.

**Jason: 600**

**Seto Kaiba: 3200**

"Haven't you learned from last time?! By destroying my dragon, you released the Eradicator Epidemic Virus!" 'Kaiba' activated his reversed trap card, "And unlike my Dark Devastation Virus, this card allows me to choose between spells or traps to infect your deck."

"Not again…" Jason groaned.

* * *

><p>"A virus for spells and traps?!" Rock gasped, "If Jason loses his spells then he could lose whatever he's got to protect himself!"<p>

"And if his traps get infected, then he'll lose almost every means he has to counterattack." Noire stated.

* * *

><p>"And I think I'll have the virus to infect all your trap cards!" with that the trap on Jason's field was destroyed, along with all the others in his hand and deck.<p>

"I end my turn…" Jason muttered.

"It's my turn now," 'Kaiba' drew his next card, "I set a monster in DEF mode and one card face-down. I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "Great Tornado, attack his face-down card!" another tornado erupted and destroyed the set monster, which appeared as a large orb of slime.

"You must enjoy rushing head-long into one obvious trap after another. The monster you just destroyed was my Giant Germ," 'Kaiba' smirked, "...with a special-ability that deals 500 points of damage."

**Jason: 100**

**Seto Kaiba: 3200**

"And with its destruction you release yet another virus, the Crush Card Virus!" 'Kaiba' opened his reverse-card as the monster's remains released yet another cloud of spores over Jason's field.

"No!" Jason gasped.

* * *

><p>"Crush Card Virus?!" Rock gasped, "But with that…"<p>

"The rest of Jason's monsters will be gone…" Noire whimpered.

* * *

><p>"This virus is the strongest, most contagious out of the three, as it infects every monster you have with 1500 or more ATK points!" the two heroes suffocated in the cloud of spores before they were destroyed, as well as what remained of the monsters in Jason's deck as well as the remainder of his hand.<p>

* * *

><p>"No monsters, or traps, all he has now are spell cards!" Rock said.<p>

"Wait, how many spells has he used?" Noire asked.

"Too many to afford..." Chakra said.

* * *

><p>Jason looked down at his deck as he was forced to remove the remainder of his monsters from it to the graveyard.<p>

"Your constant carelessness just cost you just about every useful monster in your deck," 'Kaiba' snickered, "Now all you have left is that shield even that won't save you when the time comes. And I can assure you, it's coming very soon. Now back to the duel. When Giant Germ is destroyed in battle, it multiplies!" two more germs appeared (ATK: 1000x2). "I place one card face-down and end my turn…" a reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'Without a monster I can't attack anything! But it won't matter because that would mean taking 500 points of damage when destroying one of those Giant Germs…' "I pass…"

"It's my turn," 'Kaiba' drew his next card, "I summon the Thousand-Eyed Idol in ATK mode!" a bulky stone idol on limbs appeared (ATK: 0), "And now my Thousand-Eyes will attack your Millennium Shield!" the idol charged against the shield, but got pushed back easily.

**Jason: 100**

**Seto Kaiba: 200**

* * *

><p>"What?!" Rock gasped, "Why did he do that?! All he's doing is taking a huge chunk out of his life-points!"<p>

"He's right!" Noire agreed, "I don't see any way he could benefit from that!"

After processing, Chakra suddenly gasped, "You're wrong! There's one card that fits this specific requirement!"

* * *

><p>"With that attack my combo is now complete! I activate the quick-play spell card Inferno Tempest!" 'Kaiba' slapped the card onto his duel-disk, "When I take at least 3000 points of damage in a battle, I can put this spell into play. And once it's active, all monsters in our deck and graveyard are instantly removed from play!"<p>

* * *

><p>"That a pretty gutsy move, even for him!" Rock admitted, "Now all he's got are that idol and those two germs on his field while all Jason has is that shield!"<p>

"He won't need to attack as long as he can wait until Jason runs out of cards!" Noire said.

"So this is where you've been!" the three turned around to see a certain Slifer girl leaning against one of the elevator doors, tired as ever.

"Calypso!" Chakra gasped, "You can't be out of bed with your injuries!"

"Oh, someone's actually concerned for me. I'm touched." Calypso spat. She pushed herself off the door and stumbled a few steps until she tripped onto the floor.

Chakra walked up to the girl. "How did you get all the way up here, anyway?!"

"Someone was kind enough to carry me," Calypso glared over at Rock, "Of course he left me underneath so I had to come up here myself."

Chakra followed Calypso's gaze, "It didn't occur to you to tell us?"

Rock scratched the back of his head nervously, "Well, no one asked me!"

"Rock!" Chakra snapped.

"I'm sorry! It slipped my mind!"

Calypso stood up again, trying not to fall back down, "So, did I miss anything?"

Chakra sighed. "If you must know, Jason and I just went through another shadow-game, and all to retrieve your book. You're welcome, anyway."

"I didn't ask for a lecture. Just tell me what's going on."

"There's a duel going on over there!" Rock pointed out to the mountaintop, "You won't believe it, but Jason's there right now dueling Seto Kaiba!"

"You're right. I don't believe it."

"Maybe this will change your mind." Rock pointed at Chakra's duel-disk.

* * *

><p>"What a shame. I thought there was something special in you. But your performance as of late only proves you're just another Slifer Red Slacker!" 'Kaiba' scowled, "I can't believe I'm wasting my time with a lowly future dropout! I'm surprised they even let you in my school in the first place! It makes me wonder if it's even worth my time being wasted with you!"<p>

"…It's my turn," Jason ignored his ranting and drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Swords of Revealing Light!" many glowing swords surrounded themselves around the duelist's field. "In three turns, your monster's can't attack! I end my turn!" 'I don't know what he's planning, but I don't want to lose the only monster I have!'

"I guess you'll have to learn the hard way!" 'Kaiba' smirked, then drew his next card, "I sacrifice my two Giant Germs to summon yet another Blue-Eyes from my hand!" a third black-scaled dragon appeared (ATK: 3000), "My Blue-Eyes White Dragon is considered the most powerful by its sheer ATK points! No other monsters can ever defeat it in a head-to-head battle. That's why I specialize my deck to disable my opponent so whatever tricks they pull can't be used against my dragon! When it comes to dueling me, it's always a battle of strength! And my Blue Eyes will always reign supreme!"

* * *

><p>"You hear that?! Nobody but Kaiba can pull that off!" Rock said.<p>

"The only thing you proven is that someone's using a Blue-Eyes White Dragon." Calypso replied.

"Hey, do your research! There's only three dragon's and Kaiba's got'em all! What more proof do you need?!"

"The way you said it, you're making it sound like that person up there isn't really Seto Kaiba." Chakra said.

Calypso scoffed. "At least someone's starting to catch on."

"What are you saying?!" Rock argued, "Of course that's Seto Kaiba! Only he has the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

* * *

><p>"Next I activate the spell card Dragon's Mirror!" the familiar large-framed mirror appeared over the field, as well as two more Blue-Eyes White Dragons hovering with the third. Jason grimaced as he knew what's going to happen next, "Now I take my Blue-Eyes White Dragon on my field, along with the other two that are in my graveyard to offer as sacrifices for the mirror!" the three dragons were then sucked in through the mirror's surface, "And in their place will bring forth a force so great that no other monster can stand against it!" the mirror expanded and changed shape until it took the form of a giant, three-headed black dragon (ATK: 4500), "I create the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon(12ATK: 4500/DEF: 3800)!"

* * *

><p>"What exactly are you trying to say?" Chakra asked Calypso, "Is someone trying to pass off as Seto Kaiba for some reason?"<p>

"Well, yes and no."

"That doesn't sound like a straight answer," Chakra frowned, "Care to be more specific?"

Calypso stared down at the duel-disk on Chakra's arm, "Tell me, those duel-disks, can they also be used as two-way radios?"

"If you mean enabling a live-feed between devices, then yes. Why?" instead of a simple reply, Calypso leaned closer to the duel-disk.

"Jason! Are you listening?!" she shouted into the duel-disk, causing the other three students to winch slightly at the volume.

"Wait a minute…" Chakra attune her duel-disk just for a moment, "Don't scream this time."

"Hey, Jason! Are you listening?"

* * *

><p>Jason heard a voice and realized it came from his duel-disk, "Hello? Is anyone there?" he spoke into it.<p>

_"Hey, it worked!"_

* * *

><p>Chakra wretched her arm away from Rock's grasp and replied through her duel-disk, "Jason, is everything okay on your end? Did you find the book?"<p>

_"Well, that guy I'm dueling has it."_

"Then why are you wasting time?!" Calypso snapped, "Hurry up and get it back for me!"

"Um, easier said than done," Noire said, "Whoever Jason's facing, he's made it so there's virtually nothing in his deck. He's hanging on my a thread and against one of the most powerful monsters in the game."

"Thankfully those swords will keep it at bay for three more turns," Chakra said.  
>But he's running out of time…"<p>

"Just shut up for a minute and let me talk," Calypso growled and the cleared her throat. "I'm sure you've met a couple of my little runaways, yes?"

"You mean those spirits who called themselves Ryo Bakura and Marik Ishtar?"

"Hold up!" Rock interrupted, "You're saying Marik and Bakura were right here?! And you and Noire dueled them?!"

"Me and Jason, actually," Chkra replied, "To make a long story short, that evil book I mentioned has been housing souls from the shadow realm and a few happened to escape. The Marik and Bakura we faced were actually evil spirits that were banished into the Shadow Realm at their time."

"And I'd like to take the time to thank you for picking up my slack," Calypso muttered. "Now all that's left is one more spirit to recover. Lucky for me, Jason's already found it."

"Wait, that duelist up there is another spirit from the Shadow Realm?" Noire asked.

"That's right. And this particular spirit is like the other two. He's Seto Kaiba, but at the same time he's not."

"Are you hearing all this, Jason?" Chakra relayed.

* * *

><p>"I heard it, Chakra." Jason replied, glaring up at his opponent.<p>

"And so did I." 'Kaiba' snickered, apparently listening into their conversation, "I guess there's no point hiding it any longer!" he laughed as his body started to expand, bulging and throbbing as if something's trying to burst out. Finally his entire body burst. Jason's eyes widened as there was someone else standing in place over the remains that used to be Seto Kaiba. A round, pudgy man with curling purple hair and a sinister-looking smile. He wore a cape draped over his plump body.

"What is that…?" Jason muttered, letting the words fall from his mouth.

_"What's what? Jason, what's going on?"_ Chakra asked.

"What your friend Calypso said is right, in fact," the stranger sneered, "I wasn't exactly lying when I said I was Seto Kaiba. I'm what you'd call his dark side, a part of him that's been forced to walk about the darkness. I'd like to thank you for providing me an escape from that wretched prison," he picked the book up from the ground, "And to show you my gratitude, I want you to take my place! For when you lose this duel, you'll be trapped within the confines of this book, cursed to wander the Shadow Realm for eternity!" opening the book, a massive dark aura rose out of it and surrounded the dragon. The three-headed beast roared as the dark power adding into it made it stronger.

* * *

><p>"That does <em>not<em> sound good." Noire whimpered.

"Thankfully Jason's swords will remain for three more turns," Chakra said. "I just hope he has something planned before then."

"C'mon, Jason! You can beat that faker!" Rock cheered, "Just realize what's at stake here! Just remember we got your back!"

"Um, me too!" Noire squeaked. "I believe in you!"

* * *

><p>"Your friends obviously don't understand the situation you're in," the Dark Kaiba scoffed, "All you have is a deck full of useless spells and a monster who's only good for hiding behind. The only way to win is to take away with the rest of my life-points. And the only thing standing between you and that goal is my Blue-Eyes!" the dragon's three heads screeched pridefully in response, "The only monster that can exceed its power is the Five-Headed Dragon, and you and I both know you don't have it in your deck. Even your monsters had to ban together to destroy my dragon in its basic state."<p>

The Dark Kaiba dropped the book allowing the darkness to continue invading the dragon, "Now on with the duel! Next I sacrifice my dragon in favor of another monster!" the three-headed dragon then became a pure shade of darkness. Once again it took form, and regained its physical form as a metallic, single-headed dragon with flat, blade-like wings, "I summon the (3) Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon(10/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500)!" and like before, the darkness continued seeping into it.

* * *

><p>"One of the most powerful dragons in duel-monsters and he tossed it for something with 3000 ATK points?" Rock said cynically, "What's this guy thinking?!"<p>

"I'm afraid he knows exactly what he's doing," Chakra said, "This particular Blue-Eyes is considered to be the strongest in its evolution, able to deflect any card-effect that targets it. Even Jason's Gaia won't be able to defeat it."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, 'Still nothing!' "I end my turn!"<p>

"It's my turn," Dark Kaiba drew his next card, "Looks like I drew the spell card Burial from the Different Dimension. This card allows me to bring three cards that are removed from play back into my graveyard," the placed the spell on his duel-disk and brought out three cards, "And I think I'll go ahead and let my three Blue-Eyes back into the game. Because with every dragon in my graveyard, Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon gains 300 ATK points!" as he placed the cards into his duel-disk, the dragon roared as power surged into it.

Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon: (ATK: 4200)

"But because of those swords I can't make any attack. So I'll just bide my time until the right moment. I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, 'I'm running out of cards to play!' "I end my turn."

"My turn," Dark Kaiba drew his next card, "One card face-down. That's all for now."

"My turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Dark Kaiba drew his next card, "I activate the spell Mystical Space Typhoon on your Swords of Revealing Light!" a huge gust erupted and the swords vanished. "So much for your three-turn delay. Now my dragon is free to attack!" the dragon reared back its head and released a stream of dark energy that shattered Jason's shield into many pieces. "And there goes your last monster! All you have left is a handful of spell cards. And with my virus combo in full effect, that's all you'll be drawing! No one wins a duel just by spells alone!"

"..." Jason remained silent.

"If I remember correctly, Slifer the Sky Dragon's considered the weakest among the three egyptian god monsters. But at least it has an ability balancing out its weakness in power, otherwise the monster is worthless! And without your monsters and their special-abilities, you have nothing yo protect you, especially against my Blue Eyes!"

* * *

><p>"Does this guy ever shut up?" Rock groaned.<p>

* * *

><p>"Now I activate my face-down card! It's the trap card Virus Cannon!" a spider-like tank appeared, replaced by the idol, "By sacrificing one monster on my field, my Virus Cannon destroys one spell card!"<p>

Jason blinked. "But the only cards like that are your Frontline Base and Swords!"

"Oh, this cannon doesn't aim at any card on the field. It aims at the cards in your deck!" the laser-rifle fired a blue lightning directly at Jason's duel-disk, and a spell card was shot out, "Spell-Shattering Arrow, huh?" he inspected, "You could've used that to destroy the spells on my field and take the rest of my life-points. It's a pity you couldn't draw it sooner. And now you're stuck with just one useless spell card!"

* * *

><p>"But that means Jason's loses after his next turn, whether or not Kaiba decides to attack!" Noire whimpered.<p>

"Chakra, you spent time with Jason's deck!" Rock said, "Is there any way he can turn this around?!"

"He'd have to get pass that dragon and get at his life-points," Chakra replied, "Unfortunately, Jason's Spell-Shattering Arrow was just taken from him and all of his monsters are out of commission so that there's no possible way to fuse."

"So whatever Jason draws next turn will be useless," Calypso said, "The only way out of this is with a certain fusion-monster."

"And all the monsters Jason could've used are removed from play so they're out of reach," Noire added, "I don't think Jason has something that can take advantage of that."

"Removed from play…Wait a minute, there is!" Chakra understood, then spoke through her duel-disk, "Jason! There's a spell card in your deck that can be useful in this kind of situation! Please tell me you still have it!"

* * *

><p>Jason looked down at his deck, to his very last card. He just what could Chakra be referring to? Perhaps there's no better time to find out.<p>

"The blind faith those kids put in a Slifer Slacker is unbelievable!" Dark Kaiba laughed, "I've seen your deck and you've never used a single card by itself to finish anything! Face it, you have nothing left! You're down to 100 life-points and your very last card! Your deck will be empty on your next turn and you don't have a single other card on the field to your name!"

"It's my turn!" ignoring his opponent, Jason drew the final card, leaving his deck completely bare.

"But it doesn't hurt to dream!" Dark Kaiba continued ranting, "Go ahead! Dream about playing your make-believe one-card strategy and beating me while I banish you to the shadow-realm!"

"I activate the spell card Parallel World Fusion!" Jason shoved the card into his duel-disk. Upon activation, a swirling white vortex appeared overhead.

"Fusion!?" Dark Kaiba gasped, "But there's no monsters on your field or in your hand! And only one in your graveyard! It's not fusion if you have nothing to fuse with!"

* * *

><p>"I hate to say it but he's got a point!" Rock said. "Where's he gonna go to get the fusion-material he needs?"<p>

Chakra smirked. "Kaiba already provided them for him."

"Wha?"

* * *

><p>It was then that Elemental Heroes Voltic and Flash came from out of the vortex, "But…they're supposed to be removed from play! What are they doing back here?!"<p>

"With Parallel World Fusion, I can fuse monsters that were removed from play by returning them to my deck!" Jason announced.

"You can't!" Dark Kaiba pleaded.

"I now fuse Elemental Hero Voltic with Elemental Hero Flash to summon Elemental Hero The Shining!" the two heroes merged themselves inside Jason's deck where it jumped back out as the light-attribute hero. But due to DNA Transplant, its spandex became a pitch-black while the ring on its back became an obsidian onyx (ATK: 2600).

"I guess I was worrying about nothing!" Dark Kaiba relaxed, "That monster only has 2600 ATK points! I was hoping to finish you off while you were at your most vulnerable, but I guess you'd rather go out with a bang! That's fine by me!"

Jason continued, "When The Shining is on the field, he gains 300 ATK points for each Elemental Hero in my graveyard!"

"It does what?!"

* * *

><p>"He thought removing all of Jason's monsters from play would guarantee he wouldn't take any kind of advantage from them," Chakra smiled, "It looks like this Dark Kaiba's finally made his mistake!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I'll also give my monster an equip-spell form my hand: Scroll of Enchantment!" Jason pulled a card from his hand into his duel-disk, "With this, I can change The Shining's attribute back to LIGHT!" the darkness around The Shining broke away and the Elemental Hero regained its blinding radiance. And behind that light came his allying Elemental Heroes save for Voltic and Flash. Even Nova Master and Great Tornado stood on either side of him. "Since there's 10 Elemental Hero monsters removed from play, The Shining gains 3000 ATK points!"<p>

Elemental Hero The Shining: (ATK: 5600)

"This is impossible! My Blue-Eyes was supposed to the most powerful of all duel-monsters!" Dark Kaiba looked on in horror. If this attack goes through, he could be trapped back into that book with no way out! Then his eyes darted back at the school's rooftop arena, at Jason's friends about to watch his dragon become slain. An idea came that gave him a grin, "I'm not about to go back to the shadow-realm empty-handed! Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, give them a hands-on demonstration of your power!" the dragon obeyed and soared over to where Jason's friends were.

"I think that thing's coming right for us!" Noire gasped.

"We need to leave, now!" Chakra insisted. The students were unable to reach the elevators as the dragon unleashed a stream of darkness at the tower.

But the blast was suddenly blocked by The Shining, deflected by the ring he was holding in front of him. Soon the dragon was flanked on all sides by Elemental Heroes.

"This is it!" Rock said, "That fake Blue-Eyes and fake Kaiba are through!"

"Elemental Hero The Shining, attack Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!" Jason commanded.

"Wait! No!" Dark Kaiba's begging was ignored as The Shining and his fellow heroes all launched their attacks that all met against the dragon. The monster screeched as the darkness was polished by the multiple attributes before being destroyed itself. Dark Kaiba backed away as The Shining floated back up to the mountain arena, stopping right in front of him, "No! Wait a minute!" but any attempt at negotiations failed and wailed as he was bathed by The Shining's light, nearly blinding those in its sight and forcing them to cover their eyes. When it finally died out, Jason was able to scan the arena he's standing on. The Dark Kaiba was nowhere in sight, his only remains being the duel-disk he wore, briefcase left behind and the book he spent half the night looking for.

**Jason: 100**

**Seto Kaiba: 0**

The four students looked on at the now-quiet peak of the mountain.

"Is it over?" Noire asked.

"I don't know. Do you see any ferocious dark dragons hovering around?" Calypso asked in sarcasm.

"No?"

"Then what do you think?"

"That…was the best duel I ever seen!" Rock breathlessly exclaimed. "Okay, maybe I only listened to most of it but that last part more than made up for it! You guys saw it right here! One of our own managed to defeat Seto Kaiba! …Or at least his deck, anyway."

Jason went across the arena and picked the book up from off the floor, looking at it intensely. All the trouble he and his friends with through, all because of this stupid book. Walking up to the gaping mouth of the volcano, he knew what had to be done. Since this whole thing started with the book, then it's better that it's properly disposed of in a place where no one can reach it.

But before he could toss it into the smoking pit, a sudden gust of wind hit him followed by the sounds of a rapid wingbeat and a bright light aimed at him. He turned around and saw a helicopter with its spotlight aimed at him.

"Stop right there!" The four other students jumped at sudden burst from Anais' voice. The outburst found them cornered on all four sides by her DAS agents.

"Busted!" Rock groaned.

"How did they know we're here…?" Chakra wondered as the agents closed in on them.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Chakra, Jason, Noire and Rock (Calypso was escorted back to the nurse's office last night) found themselves standing right in front of the principal in his office flanked by Crowler and Anais as they tried to explain why they were breaking curfew the night before. The jury seemed to believe their story of what happened with the briefcase and duel-disk as evidence. Of course, they decided to leave out everything involving the supernatural.<p>

"I can be sure of one thing, you weren't lying about this whole Kaiba imposter thing," Sheppard said, "I called the guy earlier and he reported he had recollection of ever arriving here."

"What I fail to believe is that it was a Slifer, and not one of my Obelisks, who not only held his own against Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragons, despite being crippled by his various Virus cards, but was able to defeat it in its prime!" Crowler stated cynically, "I mean seriously! It defies all logic!"

"We were there, Doctor Crowler," Chakra assured, "And we heard it all on a live feed on one of our duel-disks."

"Hearing about it is one thing, but something like this can only be proven if someone was actually there to see it!"

"We saw it, alright!" Rock protested, "Sure, they were on top of a mountain and they looked like tiny dots from where we were standing but…"

"I rest my case."

"By the way…" Sheppard continued, "It just so happens that Kaiba received a recorded stream of Jason's duel," he turned to the hero duelist, "And though he said nothing else, I can tell that he was impressed by how you handled yourself in the situation you were in."

"Um…thanks?" Jason looked away blushing.

"It still doesn't explain how Kaiba's cards came to be here at Duel Academy…" Anais pointed out, "…since Kaiba himself has always been known to keep his cards under lock-and-key near him at all times! I've been holding a search for any unauthorized personal anywhere in Duel Academy but no sign of this alleged thief!"

"So, what's going to happen now?" Noire asked.

"Hey, you guys see what I see?!" Rock pointed past the adults and they all looked through the window. A large aircraft in the shape of a familiar white dragon began hovering down to the ground, "I don't believe it! It's really him!" Rock said, turning to the other Slifer beside him, "You know what that means? You're about to be known as the guy defeated Seto Kaiba's deck! No one will believe any of this!"

"That's why he prefers it to stay that way," Sheppard interrupted, earning puzzled looks from the four students, "As the founder of Duel Academy, he'd rather the student body remains ignorant of how his infamous Blue-Eyes deck was defeated by a student from Slifer Red; and more importantly, how easily the thief was able steal his deck box right from under his nose, bypass his many electronic imprinting locks, including his fingerprint and voice indicators."

"I guess that would be bad for his reputation…" Noire said.

"What a gyp!" Rock argued, "We're the reason Kaiba gets his deck back! He should be thanking us!"

"He is," Sheppard said, "He's thanking you by letting you stay in Duel Academy in exchange for your silence. And of course he's letting Jason keep that duel-disk for his troubles."

"Er, really?" Jason said, "It's mine now?"

"As long as you can keep quiet about last night. Besides, he has personal matters to attend to. And I'd appreciate that no one disturbs him so it's best you get a move on!" the students groaned and walked out of the office.

* * *

><p>"I forgot to ask you, Rock," Chakra said as they walked down the hallway, "What were you doing in the building last night, anyway?"<p>

"What else?" Rock replied. "To sneak a peek at the deck!"

"Wait, you knew Kaiba's deck would be there?" Jason asked.

"Wait a minute, you mean you don't know?" Noire asked.

"Know what?"

"The King of Games' deck is on display at Duel Academy today!" Rock said.

Jason became puzzled. "The King of Games…?"

"You're joking, right?!" Rock's jaw dropped. "Don't tell me you've never heard of the King of Games!"

"Um, I've always heard there's one," Jason replied, "but I've never knew who it was…" everyone groaned in response.

"Yes, well, the school is having an exhibit on Yugi Moto's deck just for today." Chakra said. "I'm sure you know about that."

"Um…"

"I thought you knew about that. There were posters of the event all over for the entire week."

Jason stiffened at his own display of ignorance as he passed by a poster of said event without notice for the umpteenth time this week, "I guess I was a bit preoccupied. Sorry."

"What kept you so busy that you had to forget about the most memorable event in Duel Academy history?!"

"Well, I had this report that I need to…" Jason trailed off and then sulked.

"You…didn't start on it, did you?" Chakra asked, and Jason shook his head in response.

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Pitch-Dark Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Union] LV: 3 (ATK: 900/DEF: 600)**

**Attribute: DARK  
><strong>

**Effect: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this card on the field, you can equip it to your "Dark Blade" as an Equip Card, OR unequip the Union equipment and Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position. While equipped to a monster by this card's effect, increase the ATK/DEF of the equipped monster by 400 points. When it attacks with an ATK that is higher than the DEF of a Defense Position monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points. (1 monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the equipped monster is destroyed as a result of battle, destroy this card instead.)**

**(2) Kiryu  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Union] LV: 3 (ATK: 2000/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if you control this card on the field, you can equip it to your "Dark Blade" as an Equip Card, OR unequip the Union equipment and Special Summon this card in face-up Attack Position. While equipped to a monster by this card's effect, increase the ATK/DEF of the equipped monster by 900 points, and you can Tribute this card to allow the equipped monster to attack your opponent's Life Points directly this turn. (1 monster can only be equipped with 1 Union Monster at a time. If the monster that this card is equipped to is destroyed as a result of battle, destroy this card instead.)**

**(3) Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon  
><strong>

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV: 10 (ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500)**

****Attribute: DARK****

****Effect:**** **This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Tributing 1 "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon" you control. This card gains 300 ATK for each Dragon-Type monster in your Graveyard. You can negate the effects of Spells, Traps, and Effect Monsters that target this card.**

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	24. Heart Attack

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

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><p><strong>CFGX: "Here's my next chapter. With my inability to apply a grammar check at my home computer, my writer's block and juggling other projects, it took much longer than usual to post this chapter. As usual please read and review and ask questions, and if possible, let me know if you'd care to be a beta-reader for one of your favorite stories or those you're just curious about..."<strong>

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><p>"Could I please have everyone's attention? Eyes forward, students! Chumley, stop chewing with your mouth open!" the cafeteria calmed down while Chumley kept eating with his mouth closed, "Now, please join me in welcoming a new transfer student, Blair Flannigan." Banner stepped out of the way to present a small boy in red, as short as Syrus is, wearing a large hat over his head.<p>

"I hand to stop chewing for a transfer student?" Chumley groaned.

"Aw man, he's smaller than me, dresses goofier than me…" Syrus whined, "My sidekick gig is over."

"Come on, be nice, you guys," Jaden said. Then kneeling on the table, he welcomed the new student with a wave of his arms, "Blair, welcome to S-L-I-F-…uh…something, Slifer!" he jumped over the table and went over to Blair, who recoiled slightly from his sudden advance as he placed an arm over his shoulder, "This is the best dorm on campus! I mean, sure we're not a bunch of snobby, uptight, egghead, straight-A-getting brainiacs, but still…"

"Jaden, wait a moment," Banner warned, "You don't understand…"

"What's not to understand, Professor Banner? I'm just…trying" Jaden just then noticed Blair shying away behind Banner, "…to make…Blair…feel at home."

"But you see, this isn't Blair's home, at least not for long. He scored nearly perfect in all of his entrance exams. You see, it is academy police that all transfer students start out in the Slifer dorm. But, with his high marks, he'll be moved up to ra yellow within a few days."

"Yeah, right!" Jaden laughed at this, "And next you'll be saying he's gonna move into our dorm cause of all the extra space," he kept laughing towards his roommates and pointed, "I just love this guy!"

"Good one, Jaden."

"That's very generous of you. Unfortunately there's only one room with available space," Banner then looked over to the back seats. "Jason Hutchins?"

The Slifer quickly stood up. "Yes, sir?"

"Congratulations, you have your second roommate!" Jason was taken aback when he received the news. Just as he could reply, Blair was already beside him.

"Hello." Blair bashfully greeted, bowing.

"One more thing. Since tomorrow will be his first day, he'll need someone to show him around campus. I talked about it with Anais earlier and she agrees to give you the time off tomorrow to be his escort. Will you be willing to do that?"

Apparently Jason couldn't say no to extra free time, so he nodded. "Yes sir."

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><p>Early the next morning Jason was sent the school's weekly mail heap for him to sort out and deliver as usual. There happened to be so many this time that he thought he should make round trips to and from his dorm to relieve the heavy load. By the time he went back for the Obelisk's mail, the transfer student was already gone for class, he supposed.<p>

All that's left is the Obelisk's dorm. Because compared to Ra's mailboxes not to far from the front entrance, the Obelisks happen to have their mailboxes right by their door, which generally means having to walk into the lion's den. But with the Obelisks in class as well, Jason can deliver their mail without harassment. Or so he thought…

Chattering can be heard inside the halls and it doesn't take much for Jason to realize its Obelisk Blue students. It's been a long time but he thought he'd have enough time get the job dome before they come back for lunch period. And if he's caught here then there will be much bigger problems.

He backed against the wall trying to find out which way the voices are coming from when he quickly hid into the nearest dorm room and shut the door in front of him. Maybe if he can get out from the window, he could slip out unnoticed. So he turned around to find the alternate exit, but right there he stopped.

It turned out the room is already occupied, but not the one staying here or any Obelisk for that matter. Kneeling in front of the nightstand was the transfer student. "Blair?"

The Slifer recoiled from the deck of cards he was snuggling and stared back at him in surprise. "Where'd you come from?!"

He'd like to ask the same question, but that could wait until they're outside. Someone else could step in at any moment.

"You guys hear something?" someone can be heard from the other side of the door. That about does it for Jason.

"I think we need to leave, right now!" spotting an open balcony, Jason hurried with Blair in tow. But his sudden tugging caused Blair to drop the cards as well as his hat, resulting in a large gold barrette latching off and a full head of dark-blue hair to spill out. The moment he saw this he had no choice but to stop and process it all. Either Blair is sensitive about having long hair or he's actually a…

He can ask him when they're safe outside! When Blair went sprinting out through the balcony with his hat back on he was ready to follow him.

"Hey, you!" a new voice caught Jason dead in his tracks right in front of the balcony door. It appears he was caught after all, by a group of three Obelisks. "Take a wrong turn on the way to detention?"

"Hey Zane, look who we caught hanging out in your room!" Zane? Of all the rooms he stumbled inside it had to be Zane Truesdale's room! And speaking of whom, he entered as one of the other Obelisks pointed to the floor where a bunch of cards were scattered about, along with the barrette Blair dropped. "Not just hanging out, he was digging around in your cards. You got some nerve, Slifer!"

"Wait, it's not what you think!" Jason stammered, "Someone else was here when I got here and—"

"Save it, Slifer Slacker!" realizing there was no point in talking his way out, Jason decided to make a break for the balcony and jump out. But the Obelisks caught him before he could make his escape. "You're not going anywhere, except maybe to Doctor Crowler's office!"

"Wait! No! Anything but that!" Jason whined as he was dragged across the floor.

"Fine! We'll just take you to Anais instead!"

"No! Please! I rather go to Crowler!"

"Let him go." The Obelisks stopped dumbfounded by Zane's sudden request.

"What?!" The Obelisks gasped.

"Huh?" Jason followed, stumped as well.

"Do you want me to reconsider, Jason…?" Zane asked, "Or do you want to get out of here?"

The decision was obvious. Jason stumbled to his feet to leave without another word. When he spotted the barrette still on the floor, he picked it up and hastily stuffed it in his person, "Uh, good luck charm! I dropped it!" he lied before disappearing out of the room.

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><p>No matter how hard Jason tried he couldn't wrap his head around it. It turns out that Blair Flannigan is actually a girl. But why go through the trouble of dressing up as a boy? And why was he sneaking into the Obelisk dorm? These questions seemed to get harder to answer as time went by.<p>

"Jason, there you are!" the slifer heard Chakra call to him, "Do you mind if we talk for a minute?"

"Okay..." Jason replied, "What do you want to talk about?"

"...Zane came to me earlier, and he told me what happened," Chakra said in a serious tone, causing Jason to flinch, "Would you care to tell me about it?"

"Um..." Jason tried to make up an excuse but couldn't find any, "What did he tell you?"

"He told me he caught you in his room earlier. Why were you inside?"

"It's...too embarrassing."

"Is it about that barrette you took with you when you left?" Chakra asked, which caused Jason to stiffen even more, "Is it true that you're carrying a girl's hairclip as a 'good-luck charm', or are you covering for someone else?"

"Well..."

"You have to tell me," Chakra insisted, "Because if this is what it seems, then Zane might decide to turn you in for trespassing. So can't you be honest with me?"

Jason doesn't want to get Blair in trouble on the first day, but he didnt want to get in trouble either. Maybe Chkara could help him with this problem. He sighed, "Can you keep it between us?"

"There you are!" both of them turned to see Blair standing near them. "Can I join you?"

"Um, sure," Chakra said warily, and Blair sat down next to Jason, "I don't remember seeing you around here. Jason, is he a friend of yours?"

"Uh, Chakra, this is Blair. She-he's a new student here. He's staying in slifer until he goes to Ra Yellow in a few days."

"So you're new here? That's nice," Chakra said, "If you're meant to go to Ra Yellow soon, you must be quite skilled duelist, right?"

"I'm a very good duelist!" Blair replied pridefully.

"Would you mind if I put that skill to the test? Let's have a duel."

"A duel?"

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><p><strong>Later...<strong>

Calypso was glad to finally be out of that stuffy office. Lying on her back for hours on end really doesn't do well for a girl like her. Now she has a couple days worth of mischief to unload and not much tome to catch up. Maybe she can find some sport from some nameless duelist. Luckily she's close to the main arena.

When she poked through the doors of the arena, she was happy to see that it was occupied, at the least. By a stroke of luck she found two of her faverite victims, Chakra and Jason. But who's that third person...?

Jason was standing in front of the obelisk arena where Chakra and Blair stood with their duel-disks ready. The former seemed eager to see what Blair can do. What exactly is she up to?

"Are you ready, Blair?" Chakra asked.

"I'm ready when you are!"

"Good. Then let's duel."

**Blair: 4000**

**Chakra: 4000**

"Since this is your first time here, why don't you go first?"

"Thanks, I will!" Blair began with his sixth card, "I set a monster in DEF mode!" a monster appeared face-down on the field, "Then I place a card face-down and end my turn!"

"Alright, my turn," Chakra drew her sixth card, "I summon (1) Abaki(4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1000) in ATK mode!" a short yet muscular red demon appeared wielding a spiked club (ATK: 1700), "Abaki, attack her face-down card!" the demon's club tore through the set card, which revealed itself as a woman in purple magician robes (DEF: 800) before being destroyed.

"That monster you destroyed was my (3) Apprentice Magician(2/ATK: 400/DEF: 200)!" Blair said, "And its special-ability lets me set another spellcaster-type monster from my deck with the same level to take her place!" he searched his deck for another monster to set face-down to replace his previous one.

"I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Chakra concluded.

"It's my turn!" Blair drew his next card, "I summon (*) White Magician Pikeru(2/ATK: 1200/DEF: 0) in ATK mode!" he flipped his monster face-up and a girl as tall as Blair with pink curls appeared. She was wearing a white dress with pink rune-line with a yellow cape with the same design. In her hand was a small wooded staff with a crystal ball perched on top. The hood she wore over her hair was shaped like a golden scapegoat (ATK: 1200), "Next, I summon (4) Fire Princess(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500) from my hand, and put her in DEF mode!" a young girl older than Pikeru appeared, with blonde hair and wore a flowing red gown, holding a wooden stick in her hand (DEF: 1500), "Next I equip Pikeru with the spell card Trial of the Princesses! This card increases her ATK power by 800!" the wand in Pikeru's hand was replaced by a longer, more decorative staff (ATK: 2000), "Pikeru, attack Abaki!" the white magician fired a blast of magic from her staff and destroyed the red demon. But upon its destruction, a fiery explosion spread across the field.

**Blair: 3500**

**Chakra: 3200**

"Wait, how come I took damage just now?" Blair questioned.

"Because when Abaki is destroyed in battle, 500 points are taken from both of out life-points." Chakra explained.

"Well then I'll activate the spell card Goblin Thief from my hand!" Blair said, "It lets me gain 500 life-points while at the same time takes 500 out of yours!"

**Blair: 4000**

**Chakra: 2700**

"And now Fire Princess' special-ability actiates! Any time I increase my life-points, she inflicts 500 more points of damage!" the Fire Princess aimed her wand and launched a ball of fire at Chakra.

**Blair: 4000**

**Chakra: 2200**

"That ends my turn!" Blair concluded.

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I summon Blast Asmodian in DEF mode," the explosive-throwing field appeared (DEF: 300), "Then I place one more cards face-down and end my turn." another reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn!" Blair drew his next card, "And during my standby-phase, Pikeru's special-ability activates, increasing my life-points by 200 for each monster on my field! There's two of them now, so I gain 400 life-points!" Pikeru raised her staff and emitted a bright light.

**Blair: 4400**

**Chakra: 2200**

"And when my life-points increase, Fire Princess' special-ability inflicts 500 more points of damage!" the older spellcaster launched another fireball at Chakra.

**Blair: 4400**

**Chakra: 1700**

"Next, I summon (*) Injection Fairy Lily(3/ATK: 400/DEF: 1500) in ATK mode!" a pink-haired angel in a nurse's outfit appeared, holding a giant syringe in her arms (ATK: 400), "And now Pikeru attacks your Blast Asmodian!" Pikeru fired another blast of light.

"Activate trap card: Magic Cylinders!" Chakra opened her first reverse-card and two tubes appeared, one of them swallowing up Pikeru's attack, "But that's not all, I also activate Chain Healing, Chain Detonation, and then Chain Strike!" one after another, her last two cards opened, "And since those cards are played in a chain, their effects activate in reversed order. First Chain Strike inflicts 400 points of damage for every card in the combo. Since I activated three cards including Chain Strike, you take 1200 points of damage. As for Chain Detonation, you take 500 more. With Chain Healing, I get back 500 of the points your Fire Princess stole from me. And finally, Magical Cylinder absorbs an attack from an opponent's monster and returns it as effect-damage. Together that add up to 4100 points of damage!" all of Chakra's damage-effect cards fired a blast of energy that crashed into Blair, while Chain Healing emitted a light-blue glow around Chakra.

**Blair: 300**

**Chakra: 2200**

"And last but not least is Blast Asmodian's ability: after a chain of spells and traps, he deals 500 points of damage!" Blast Asmodian tossed a fuse over Blair's monsters, the smaller duelist ducking as the fuse exploded right over his head.

**Blair: 0**

**Chakra: 2200**

Somehow Jason wasn't surprised about Chakra winning. Blair may have held her own but Chakra proved to be a powerful as she always was, even if he saw her duel only once before. He was glad she's not like most Obelisk students.

"I guess I'm the winner," Chakra said as she approached Blair, "And as the winner, a reward's in order, right? So, do you mind if you take off that hat?" Blair flinched and held down her hat with both hands, and continued in a softer tone, "It's alright. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to. Us girls have our secrets."

That caught Jason's full attention as Blair's fear came true. But when she realized there was no other way out of it, she decided to take her hat off, untie her orange bandanna, and let her hair down. She kept her eyes from Chakra's since. "How'd you know?"

"Well, no offense to Jason, but he kinda let that slip back at the shop," Chakra peeked over to Jason who shied away in embarrassment, "Second, I'm sure that hairclip you left back at the Obelisk dorm gave it away, too. And lastly, you might have most boys fooled but us girl knows another one of their own when we see them."

"So...you won't tell anyone, right?" Blair asked.

"Your secret is safe, don't worry," Chakra smiled, "But..." she then turned back towards Jason, "I can't say the same for him."

"Wait a minute!" Jason stammered, trying to wave off the accusation, "I won't tell anyone either, I promise!"

"That's nice, but the way I see it, Blair owes you," she looked back over to the shorter Slifer, "Jason found you in Zane's room, didn't he?"

"But how'd you..."

"Because Zane told me about how he found him there earlier, including the hairclip you left behind. If it weren't for that, you would've gotten Jason in trouble, possibly removed from the academy for what you did."

"It's not my fault he was sticking his nose in my business," Blair scoffed, "What do you want me to do about it?"

"I'm the wrong person you should be asking," Chakra said, "But why don't we solve this like any duelist would," she then turned back to Jason, "So Jason, are you up for a duel today?"

"Me, duel?" Jason asked.

"How about it?" Chakra then asked Blair, "If you win, your secret's safe. But if you lose, you'll have to turn yourself in to Zane and let him decide what to do."

"You want me to duel him," Blair looked over towards Jason, "What makes him so special?"

"The only way to find out is with a duel," Chakra said, "So do you accept?"

Calypso heard the whole thing from her spot on the stands where she remained unseen. "So Jason's pulled into yet another pointless duel, hmm?" a small smile then grew on her. "That give me an idea..."

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><p>Upon a knock on the door, Jaden opened it to see Rock at the door. "Hey, what's up?"<p>

"Hey, sorry to be knocking at such short notice..." Rock pulled out his PDA. "But I got some weird e-mail just now and I need a little insight."

"Huh? It didn't tell you to go to the cliffside near here, did it?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, how d'you know?"

"'Cause we're in the same boat!" Jaden pulled out his own PDA. "I got about the same message a couple minutes ago! Weird, huh?"

"You're telling me. Something smells fishy here, doncha think?"

"Only one way to find out. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Meh, I'm up for another adventure."

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><p>"Well, we're here," Rock said as he and Jaden reached the cliffside, with Syrus and Chumley tagging along. "What's supposed to happen?"<p>

"Beats me but...hey, isn't that..." Chumley spotted someone standing at the edge.

"That's Chakra!" Jaden said. "Hey, over here!"

The Obelisk's head shot up towards the Slifers. "Where'd you come from?" she asked, surprised.

"We're asked to come here!" Jaden said, then remembering there's a rocky shore below where Chakra was looking. "...What are you looking at down there?"

"Just keep it down, okay?" Chakra shushed as the Slifers came over to kneel beside her. "No one else knows we're here."

"'We' who?" Jaden looked down to the shore and saw two more Slifers standing there. "Hey, there's Jason! And is that that new transfer with him? What are they doing here this late?"

"I dunno," Chumley shrugged. "But it must be pretty serious."

"They must really be spending a lotta time together," Syrus wondered, then gasped over to Jaden. "Wait, you don't think Blair's trying to pass off as Jason's sidekick? That's our thing!"

"That's not exactly it." Chakra said.

"She's right, Syrus," the younger Truesdale turned to see his brother approaching them. "Blair's not really a guy, she's a girl. Obelisk Dorm's security cam's caught her sneaking into my dorm room earlier. Although they didn't show why she went through all that trouble."

Down below, both Jason and Blair prepped their duel-disks for battle.

Blair: 4000

Jason: 4000

"Fortunately we might be able to solve this little mystery once the duel's over." Chakra said as the duel starts.

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><p>"Alright! Get ready..." Blair began by drawing, "To fall in love! I summon (2) Maiden in Love(2ATK: 400/DEF: 300)!" a flash of light burst as a young girl appeared with wavy brown hair and a flowing yellow dress (ATK: 400).

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><p>"She's cute..." Syrus blushed.<p>

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><p>"Next I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared. "That ends my turn!"<p>

"My turn..." Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode!" the merman hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "Next I activate the magic card Hero's Bond! When there's an Elemental Hero on my field, I can summon 2 more from my hand! So I summon Elemental Heroes Stratos and Woodsman!" the jetpack hero (ATK: 1800) and wood-limbed hero (DEF: 2000) appeared. "And when Stratos is summoned, I can add another Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand!" Jason added another monster from his deck, "Now I'll have Elemental Hero Stratos attack!" Stratos's jetpack launched a pair of cyclones that literally swept the Maiden off her feet.

"I activate my trap card, Defense Draw!" after Blair opened her reverse-card, a barrier formed around her to protect her from the hero's attack. "With this card, any damage from one of your attacks are reduced to zero. After that, I get to draw one more card!" she drew another card from her deck. "And you may have broken my Maiden's heart, but she lives to love another day! You see, as long as she's in ATK mode, her ability prevents her from being destroyed in battle!"

"Then I'll have Ocean attack your Maiden as well!" Ocean swung his staff and a torrent of water rushed from the ground towards the Maiden who, trying to back away from the attack, tripped off her feet and fell, taking cover from the large wave crashing over her. Blair put up her guard against the water washing through.

Blair: 2900

Jason: 4000

Elsewhere hidden from the duel, Calypso watched from behind the rocks nearby. "Let's make thing a bit more interesting, shall we?" she chuckled as she opened her Book of Lost Millennium. And upon muttering a few incantations a plume of black mist poured out and crawled over to Jason's feet. As it evaporated around the Slifer, something strange occurred right in front of him...

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><p>'Coo!'<p>

A small hoot caught Jaden's attention as Winged Kuriboh appeared next to him. "Hey, Winged Kuriboh. Waddup?" The flying brown fluffball pointed down to the duel below...

Where both Stratos and Ocean were kneeling in front of the Maiden!

"Madam, I am so sorry!" Ocean cried.

"Are you alright?" Stratos asked in concern.

"Mm, maybe, maybe not..." the Maiden replied looking away with a flush on her face.

"What's up with Jason's monsters? They're supposed to be in ATK mode, not in love!"

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><p>"Ah...uh..." Jason's words were stuck in his throat. He's just witnessing two of his monsters fawning over another!<p>

"Ugh, my hair's soggy and my dress is soaked!" the Maiden whined, kneeling in her drenched attire.

"Great Neptune!" Ocean shrank back in shame. "I am so embarrassed, this is my fault!"

"Stand aside! Allow me to dry her off!" Stratos's fans blew at the Maiden. When the young lady came out dry as a bone, Stratos stood erect with pride. "Stratos' patented blow-dry! My secret third ability!"

The Maiden twirled around her newly-fluffed dress. "Oh! This is perfect! Thank you, Stratos!"

"My pleasure!" Stratos chuckled, blushing under his mask.

"This...I...I don't know what I'm looking at!" Jason stammered. "Could this get any weirder...?"

"As a matter of fact, it can," Blair hummed playfully, "You see, my Maiden has another effect: whichever monster that attacks her gets a Maiden Counter!" the Maiden blew a kiss at both Ocean and Stratos, whereas a beating pink heart can be seen on them.

"What's a Maiden Counter..." Jason wondered.

"You'll find out..." Blair wagged her finger before drawing her next card, "But moving on now. I play the equip-spell Cupid's Kiss to my Maiden!" both players and the audience watched as a small cupid fluttered around the Maiden and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Next I activate the spell Double Attack! By sending one of my monsters to the graveyard, I can have another on my field attack twice this turn! And since the White Magician Pikeru in my hand was a level-3, my Maiden will be perfect for it! Now, I'll have her attack!"

Blair's Maiden came running across the shores with open arms; everything became slowed like some typical love scene. Surprised at what she's doing, the heroes stepped aside and let her fall face-first on the ground. She slowly sat up and looked at them sadly, then hid her face as she began to cry. "Why did you do that? You're so mean!"

Blair: 400

Jason: 4000

"My lady!" Stratos knelt down. "I'm so sorry!"

"Please accept my apology!" Ocean followed suit.

"Okay..." Maiden wiped her tears and, with the heroes' help, climbed back to her feet. "Now, will you do me a little favor?" she sweetly asked.

"Your wish is my command!" Stratos replied.

"Just say the word and I shall obey!" Ocean replied.

"You've done enough damage for one duel!" Stratos growled at his fellow hero. "Stand aside for someone who can properly serve a lady!"

"Do not look down on me!" Ocean snapped back, "I will be the one to wait on this fair maiden!"

* * *

><p>"Looks like we've got some competition!" Syrus muttered as he and Chumley kept ogling at the Maiden.<p>

"Yeah, well so do they!" Rock pointed down as the heroes continued their argument.

* * *

><p>"Boys, please!" the Maiden cut in and broke up the fight. "I can't stand seeing people fight because of me! I'm sure you can both protect me! There's no need to fight!"<p>

The two heroes glared at each other until they managed to come to an agreement.

"The young maiden is right," Stratos admitted, "There's no point in fighting."

Ocean nodded. "Especially when there's strength in numbers."

"So it is decided!" Stratos offered an open hand. "Truce!"

"A truce, it is!" Ocean took the offer and the two tightened their grip.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on here...?!" Jason groaned.

Blair giggled as the Maiden returned with the heroes in tow. "Sorry, Jason. But when my Maiden takes damage from a monster with a Maiden Counter, the equip-spell Cupid's Kiss activates! That allows me to take control of that monster! And sure, it costs me some life-points, but it's about to cost you even more!" she looked through her hand and picked a couple of cards from it. "I place two cards face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew her next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the flame-fisted hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And while he's on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for each Elemental Hero on my side of the field (ATK: 2000)!" 'She doesn't have any life-points left! So if I attack now, her Maiden won't have time to activate her effect!' "And now heat attacks your Maiden!" Heat's fists ignited and charged forth.

"Did you forget? I had a face-down card out!" Blair activated one of her reverse-cards, which was another copy of Defense Draw.

"Another one?!" Jason gasped as a barrier formed over Blair.

Heat was about to connect with his target, but Ocean and Stratos came in and held back Heat by holding his arms. The Maiden who was backing away to avoid the attack fell back on the ground. "What are you doing?! Let me go!"

"We cannot let you attack her!" Stratos said. "She's only a harmless young lady!"

"Listen to yourselves!" Heat pleaded. "She has you both under a spell! There's nothing harmless about her!"

"How could you say such things!" Ocean said. "Just look at the poor girl! Does she look like an evil enchantress to you?!"

Heat cautiously glared at the Maiden, who was staring back with pleading eyes. Upon meeting her wide, puppy-dog stare, Heat's heart melted. When they felt his resistance slacken, his fellow heroes decided to release him. Heat looked down at the hands that burned through many foes, watching them twitch. "What was I thinking..." he looked back at the Maiden with pleading eyes. "Please! Forgive me for rude behavior! I'll do anything to atone if only you'll let me!"

"Anything?" the Maiden asked with a sudden change of tone. "Well, I can't think of anything right now, but I'm sure something will come to mind later." she winked.

Blair smirked as a beating heart can be seen on Heat's chest. "And he will now that he's got a Maiden Counter."

* * *

><p>"I want one! How do I get a Maiden Counter?" Syrus hoped.<p>

"Yeah, me too! I want one too!" Chumley added.

"Uh, guys, you do realize she's just a card, right?" Chakra reminded them.

"Try and remember who you're talking to," Zane chuckled, "When we were growing up, Syrus kept saying he was going steady with the Dark Magician Girl."

"Is that so?" Chakra smirked, "Sy, did she break your heart? Or did you decide to see other monsters?"

Syrus felt embarrased by the comment. "Nice one, jerk." he muttered at his brother.

"Sheesh! This love triangle just turned into a love rectangle!" Rock said.

"As long as that Maiden's on the field, Blair can use any monster of Jason's that attacks!" Jaden said.

* * *

><p>"I place two cards face-down." two reverse-cards appeared on Jason's field. "That ends my turn..."<p>

"Alright, here I go!" Blair drew her next card, "First I activate the spell card Spellbook inside the Pot! This card's equal opportunity because now we can both draw three cards from our decks!" both duelist drew three more cards, as which Blair received one she needed. "I activate the equip-spell, Happy Marriage! Now my Maiden gains as many ATK points as Ocean has...as long as Ocean says 'I do' of course!"

The sound of wedding bells chimes as the Maiden's wardrobe changed into a wedding dress decorated with flowers. She took a hold of Ocean's hand and looked up towards him. "I would be my honor." Ocean said as he took the Maiden's arm into his (ATK: 1900).

"Now, let's pay a visit to Heat!" Blair commanded. The Maiden ran towards the hero, who moved aside and allowed her to trip over herself.

Blair: 300

Jason: 4000

"Heat, how could you do that?" the Maiden whimpered and cried into her hands. "You said you would do anything for me!"

Heat immediately went to her aid. "You're right! Command me, my love!"

"Alright! That's better!"

"What is your wish?"

"I wish...you'd burn away that hunk of dead wood over there!" the Maiden pointed at the Woodsman across the field.

"With pleasure!" Heat lit his fists aflame and charged at the wood-limbed hero.

"I activate my trap card, Windstorm of Etaqua!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "Now all monsters on your side of the field change their battle-positions!" a large maelstrom erupted form the card and lifted the opposing monster into the sky, especially the Maiden, who was then caught in Stratos' arms and carried back down to earth.

Maiden in Love: (DEF: 300)

Elemental Hero Ocean: (DEF: 1200)

Elemental Hero Stratos: (DEF: 300)

Elemental Hero Heat: (DEF: 1200)

"Nice try, but I can just switch all my other monsters back to ATK mode!" Blair said.

Maiden in Love: (DEF: 300)

Elemental Hero Ocean: (DEF: 1200)

Elemental Hero Stratos: (DEF: 300)

"Finally I'll end my turn with a face-down card!" a reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode!" the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "Next I activate the magic card Rose Bud! With this, my Elemental Hero Knospe is transformed into Elemental Hero Poison Rose!" Knospe was swallowed up inside a large flower bud before it unveiled and revealed her upgraded form (ATK: 1900), "And now Poison Rose attacks Ocean!"

"I activate my traps, Defense Maiden and The Spell Absorbing Life!" Blair opened her reverse-card, "First The Spell Absorbing Life increases my life-points my 400 for each monster on the field! There's seven monsters at this point, so that adds up to 2800!"

Blair: 3100

Jason: 4000

"As for Defense Maiden, it redirects Poison Rose's attack from Ocean to my Maiden!" Blair's Maiden stood in the way of Poison Rose's incoming attack. "But since both monsters have the same ATK, it normally ends in a draw! But thanks to my Maiden's ability, she can't be destroyed in battle!"

"I activate the trap card Reverse Trap!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "This trap card works on cards that increase ATK and DEF points and vice-versa! So I'll use it to reverse the increase of your Happy Marriage card to decrease your Maiden's ATK points instead!"

Maiden in Love: (ATK: 0)

With her power completely gone, the Maiden took Poison Rose's lashings, enduring them as much as she could.

Blair: 1200

Jason: 4000

"When Poison Rose inflicts battle-damage, 200 points are transferred from her DEF points to her ATK points!" Jason said.

Elemental Hero Poison Rose: (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1800)

The Maiden lied sobbing on the ground, her dress riddled with rips and tears. "I don't understand! Why is everyone trying to hurt me?!" she cried as her enchanted heroes came to her aid.

"How could you attack a defenseless maiden like that?!" Stratos scolded at Poison Rose.

"That's right! What has she ever do to you?!" Ocean snapped.

"I knew you were jealous but what you've done was unforgivable!" Heat said.

"Jealous?! I was..." Poison Rose was ready to protest, but looking at the Maiden's pleading face began tugging her heartstrings. "I...I'm sorry..."

The Maiden looked down at her tattered dress. "Look at this! How will I show my face in public now?"

Poison Rose released a series of thin vines from under her sleeves that slowly covered the Maiden in a plant-like cocoon. When the shell released itself, the Maiden came out with a newly refurbished dress. A veil of woven leaves covered the skirt dotted with roses in bloom. Rose petals overlap her shoulders into sleeves. And over her chest, a giant rose blossomed. "I hope this new dress makes up for it."

"This is great! I love it!" the Maiden twirled around her new dress. "Thank you very much!" she blew a little kiss and a beating heart can be seen on a blushing Poison Rose.

"I'm glad you like it," Poison Rose flustered. "If you want, I can make more for you!"

"Well, I did always want my own designer..." the Maiden hummed playfully. "and being an only child does get boring..."

"And both wishes will come true now that Poison Rose has her own Maiden Counter!" Blair smirked.

* * *

><p>"Please tell me she's not going to do what I think she is..." Chakra muttered.<p>

* * *

><p>"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Jason groaned and concluded.<p>

"Then it's my turn!" Blair drew her next card, "I activate the spell card Supremacy Berry! Since you have more life-points than me I get 2000 more!"

Blair: 3200

Jason: 4000

"Now I'll have my Maiden attack Poison Rose!" Blair sent the Maiden out to battle. Just like before, she tripped over herself; but Poison Rose managed to catch her by the vines in mid-fall.

Blair: 3000

Jason: 4000

Elemental Hero Poison Rose: (ATK: 2300/DEF: 1600)

"Oh! Thank's for saving me!" the Maiden said.

"The pleasure is all mine," Poison Rose smiled. "I could never put my new little sister in harm's way."

The Maiden's eyes brightened. "Does that mean...?"

"Yes!" Poison Rose lifted the Maiden into her arms. "From now on, you and me are family!" the flower-type heroine then carried her back to Blair's territory.

* * *

><p>"Great. Not even other girls are safe from that Maiden." Chakra sighed.<p>

"He must think using a female monster can make some sort of difference," Zane said. "But in the end, a monster's still a monster."

* * *

><p>"See that guy over there?" the Maiden pointed towards Jason, "That's the mean boy that's trying to come between us! Whoever's first to take him out gets to be my life-long soulmate!"<p>

"Allow me to blow away this eyesore, fair maiden! And then we may spend the rest of out days together soaring through the clear blue skies!"

"No, let me! Then perhaps afterwards, we can spend then night outdoors, sleeping in front of a roaring campfire!"

"Let me nip this one in the bud! I'll make him regret the day he ever though of hurting my new sister!"

"Um, Maiden, dear, I thought we were married..."

"Of course we are, hubby. And now's your chance to do something worthwhile so I won't have to spitefully divorce you!"

"Then I will do my best!"

Satistfied with her results, Blair sighed and removed her headgear to let her hair down. "Sorry, but you can't beat me. I'm dueling for love!"

* * *

><p>"Dueling for love?" Zane frowned. "Doesn't she mean dueling with love?"<p>

"You mean you haven't figured it out yet?" Chakra asked. "She wears a disguise, sneak into the school and breaks into your room. Doesn't all this add up to you?"

"She's the one in love!" Syrus gasped.

"Something she and her Maiden have in common!" Jaden said.

"That's right," Chakra said, then turning back to Zane. "Now are you able to put it together?"

"Well, one thing they might not have in common is temperance," Rock said, "This whole 'love' strategy is looking more like polygamy!"

* * *

><p>"First thing's first: Heat, take out that Woodsman, and do it right this time!"<p>

"With pleasure!"

"I activate the trap card, Waboku!" Jason opened his reverse-card, and a group of robes maidens appeared standing in the way of Heat's attack. "So now you can't destroy any monsters or inflict battle-damage for the rest of this turn!"

"There's always next time," Blair said. "I end my turn with a face-down!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Swords of Revealing Light!" a series of large glowing swords fell around Blair's field. "Now your monster's can't attack for the next three turns! I end my turn."

"Have it your way. That just makes more time for me!" Blair drew her next card, "I place one card face-down. That's it for me."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Elemental Hero Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization to my hand!" he added said card from his deck, "Next I activate the magic card Polymerization and use Elemental Heroes Ice Edge and Voltic from my hand to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two heroes merged into the ice-armored hero (ATK: 2500), "Absolute Zero, attack the Maiden!" Absolute Zero pressed a hand on the ground and it suddenly erupted with giant ice shards moving quickly towards Blair's field. But before they could reach the Maiden, a wide wall of rose vines rose up, blocking their path.

Blair smirked, "Sorry, but thanks to the combined efforts of my Maiden and Poison Rose, my monsters are protected by any and all attacks you throw their way!"

* * *

><p>"Wait a minute, how'd that happen?" Syrus wondered.<p>

"Yeah, I know Poison Rose protects other monsters from attacks..." Jaden said, "But that's only so she alone can take the hit, not deflect it."

"If there were two Poison Roses out then that'll be a different story." Rock said.

"Not necessarily," Chakra said, "With Maiden-in-Love's combo she doesn't need another Poison Rose." most of the boys were still confused as to what she was talking about.

"Chakra's right," Zane said, "With that Defense Maiden card in play, every attack is redirected to the equipped monster. But now that Blair has control of monster with the same effect, the two abilities collide to repel any enemy attack. It's pretty much the same as having two Marauding Captains on the field."

* * *

><p>"Now to return the favor two-fold! I activate the trap card Two-Pronged Attack!" Blair opened her reverse-card, "By destroying two monster on my field, I can destroy another monster on yours! There's nothing your monsters won't do to protect their Maiden, even if it means sacrificing themselves! Stratos and Ocean, show 'im how much you love her!" the two enchanted heroes step forth glowing their respective colors before charging out through the barrier of swords and colliding into Absolute Zero, resulting in an explosion with nothing remaining.<p>

"I activate Absolute Zero's effect," Jason said, "When he leaves the field, all monsters on your side of the field are destroyed!"

"I activate my second face-down, the quick-play spell My Body as a Shield!" Blair opened her second reverse-card, "This card's gonna cost me 1500 life-points, but anything to protect my Maiden from harm!" she winched as a surge of electricity struck her.

Blair: 1500

Jason: 4000

"And by the way, my Maiden and Ocean may be apart, but thanks to her Happy Marriage equip-spell, she gets to keep Ocean's ATK power as prenup! Anyway I can't attack as long as those swords are out, so..." Blair drew her next card, "I'll just draw this one card and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I pass."

"It's my turn!" Blair drew her next card, "I activate the spell card Magic Reflector! With this, I can protect another spell card on my field from being destroyed one time only! And I'm going to use it on my Cupid's Kiss equip-spell! With that, I end my turn! And you know what that means..." the swords around Blair's field vanished.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Silent Swordsman LV3 in DEF mode!" the petite knight in white armor appeared (DEF: 1000), "Next I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn!"

* * *

><p>"Alright, now I'm confused," Jaden wondered, "What's Jason waiting for? Why won't he activate Woodsman's ability already?"<p>

"So it's not just me," Chakra said, "Fusion's pretty much a major part of his deck, so why is he holding out on it?"

"Wait, you mean Jason's just having a hard time because he's having a hard time?" Syrus gasped.

"It looks like it," Rock said, "He got plenty of chances to get the upper hand just to pass it on. It's like he's not even trying. He's dueling like he's putting on a show!"

"But why would he do that?" Chumley wondered.

"Who knows?"

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Blair drew her next card, "Time for my Maiden to go husband-hunting again. And I think your Woodsman will be the perfect candidate!"<p>

"I activate my face-down cards, Shift and Unity!" Jason opened both of his reverse-cards, "Unity adds the DEF points of every monster on my side of the field to one of them until the end of the turn! So mow I add Woodsman's DEF points to Silent's Swordsman's DEF points!"

Silent Swordsman LV3: (DEF: 3000)

"I think you got it backwards!" Blair said, "The monster I'm targeting is your Woodsman, not your swordsman!"

"With the Shift trap card activated, I can change the target of your attack! So now your Maiden's attack is switched from my Woodsman to my Silent Swordsman!" under normal situations, any monster with a lower ATK would be deflected my a monster with a higher DEF. But in this case, the Maiden just clumsily tripped over before she could get anywhere close to Jason's monsters.

Blair: 400

Jason: 4000

"Owie..." the Maiden whined as she pulled her face from the dirt. She was then met with Silent Swordsman offering a hand and helping her back on her feet. "Thanks for helping me! You know, I was thinking about asking Woodsman out, but I always did like the strong and silent type better." she gave a wink that caused Silent Swordsman's hear to start beating out of his chest. "In fact, I should just get rid of him instead. Do your thing, Heat!" the fire-type hero incinerated Woodsman with one punch.

"Now I activate the spell card Mystic Wok!" Blair played the quick-play from her hand, "And since I got just as much use out of that Elemental Hero Heat on the field, I'll just sacrifice him to gain life-points equal to his ATK points!" the fire-type hero vanished.

Blair: 2400

Jason: 4000

"With that, I end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Pot of Avarice! By adding 5 monsters from my graveyard to my deck, I can draw 2 new cards!" he added Stratos, Heat, Ocean, Woodsman and Absolute Zero from his graveyard into his deck before drawing two more times, "Next, I activate the quick-play magic card Spell-Shattering Arrows! It destroys all magic cards on your side of the field and inflicts 500 points of damage!" a series of arrows appeared and shot across Blair's field, ripping through her Happy Marriage card in the process.

Blair: 1900

Jason: 4000

Maiden in Love: (ATK: 400)

"With my Cupid's Kiss affected by Magic Reflector, its effect protects it from your arrow's effect!" Blair said.

"Next, I activate a third magic card called Hammer Shot! It destroys the monster with the highest ATK on the field!" Poison Rose shattered into pixels, "After that, I switch Silent Swordsman to ATK mode and attack your Maiden!" Silent Swordsman brought his sword down and struck the Maiden.

Blair: 1300

Jason: 4000

"Haven't you learned by now?" Blair said, "Any monster with a Maiden Counter battling the Maiden will be affected my her Cupid's Kiss spell card! So now, your swordsman's mine!"

Once again the Maiden was seen on the ground in tears. "That was mean! Why would you do something like this?" the pleading look she gave was only responded by a blade inches away from her face by Silent Swordsman. "Wha...I don't understand..."

"I don't get it!" Blair gasped, "My Maiden's supposed to be irresistible!"

"My Silent Swordsman's effect," Jason said, "It protects him from any magic card you use against him. So your Cupid's Kiss card has no effect."

* * *

><p>"Finally! Jason's summoned something that can work against that Maiden!" Rock sighed in relief.<p>

"I didn't think there's a monster in Jason's deck that could turn down a monster as pretty as this one!" Syrus said.

"This Maiden in Love relies on her Cupid's Kiss spell card to control whatever monster she engaged with," Chakra said. "With a monster that can repel spells that target, it makes Silent Swordsman the perfect counter against that Maiden."

"All this time Blair's been dueling with this enchantress structure tactic of hers. Now that it's broken I wonder if that's all she has to duel with..."

"Not a chance," Chakra shook her head, "No duelist plays without a backup plan. And take it from someone who's seen her in action, Blair's no different."

* * *

><p>"Blair! Can I ask you something...?" Jason asked. "It's about your monster. Do you see yourself the same as you Maiden?"<p>

Blair blinked. "Why're you asking me that all of a sudden?"

"I just want an answer."

"Well, just because you wanna know so badly, yes I do. To be honest, I'm kinda flattered you recognized the resemblance," Blair then noticed the frown Jason's making as he cast her eyes from her. "What's with the face?"

"If that's true, then don't you see anything wrong with the way you're playing out this duel?"

"You're complaining with how I duel?" Blair scowled. "How's it my fault you keep losing your monsters?"

"That's not what I'm talking about," Jason said. "Ever since that Maiden appeared she's been using monsters she affected and then lets them be sacrificed using your cards. It's as if she doesn't care if they get destroyed one way or another. Isn't she supposed to be in love or something?"

"It's your monsters who fell for her, not the other way around! She's still waiting for the perfect monster. Exactly what point are you trying to make?"

"The Maiden can be weak by herself even with her effect. That's why she needs Cupid's Kiss to lure an opponent's monster to her side. And when she decides she doesn't need her anymore, she has no problem removing them from her sight when she finds someone better. She's not strong enough to battle my monsters so she used Cupid's Kiss to enchant them and make them fight their fellow monsters for her."

"Again, what's your point?"

"When Ocean gave his power to her due to Happy Marriage, it didn't matter if he was destroyed because she can keep that extra power for herself. And when your life-points were in danger, she decided that Heat was more useful in the graveyard than on the field beside her. Just think about it. Wouldn't you be guilty having sacrificed someone who wants your approval?"

* * *

><p>"Since when did Jason suddenly become a love guru?" Chumley wondered.<p>

Jaden shrugged. "Beats me."

* * *

><p>"It's like I said, they're the ones in love! I'm just using your monsters more efficiently. And as you can see, the end more than justifies the means!"<p>

"And what if you were in their shoes? I'm not just talking about dueling, but in real life. How would you feel if you were abandoned by someone who thinks they have no use for you?"

Blair remained silent for a moment, appearing to actually consider what she's been told. Seeing that, Jason continued, "My Silent Swordsman stayed on my side because he can't be affected by your magic card. That has to mean your Maiden tricked the other monsters into fighting for her. That can't be true love and I think you know that! Is that how you want to represent yourself...?"

"It's my turn!" Blair drew her next card, "I activate the spell card Monster Recovery, which lets me return my Maiden to my hand!" the Maiden in Love disappeared from the field, "Next I can add my entire hand to my deck, shuffle and redraw!" after shuffling her hand into her deck, she drew three cards. "Next I activate Card of Sanctity! This lets us draw until we both hold six cards in our hand!"

"Next, I activate the spell card Monster Reincarnation! By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can add a monster from my graveyard to take its place! With that done, I summon White Magician Pikeru; and epuip her with a Trial of the Princesses spell card!" the white magician from the previous duel appeared (ATK 1200) with her upgraded staff in hand (ATK: 2000), "Pikeru, attack the Silent Swordsman!" Pikeru aimed her staff and fired a burst of magic that destroyed the swordsman.

Blair: 1300

Jason: 3000

"Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn." a reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Fusion Recovery! This allows me to add a Polymerization and monster card from my graveyard to my hand!" he returned his fusion card and one of his monsters from his graveyard slot, "I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge in ATK mode!" the small, ice-armored hero appeared (ATK: 800), "And my sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can have Ice Edge attack you directly!" Ice Edge tossed a series of ice shards that struck Blair.

Blair: 500

Jason: 3000

"Next, I activate the magic card Polymerization, and use Ice Edge from my field and Lady Heat from my hand to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two monsters merged to create the caped fire-armored hero (ATK: 2600). "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

* * *

><p>"Nice," Chakra nodded. "He dealt some damage with a weaker monster and replaced it with a stronger one to protect himself from damage himself. Now I'm sure Jason knows what he's doing."<p>

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Blair drew her next card, "And during my standby-phase, Pikeru increases my life-points by 400 for each monster on my side of the field!" Pikeru raised her staff and a soft glow surrounded her master.<p>

Blair: 900

Jason: 3000

"Next, I summon Flame Princess in DEF mode!" the red-robed princess appeared (DEF: 1500), "Next I activate the quick-play spell card Shrink, which cuts your Nova Master's ATK points in half!" Nova Master was then reduced to half his size (ATK: 1300), "Now Pikeru attacks Nova Master!" Pikeru fired another blast of energy towards the hero.

"I acitvate my trap card Enchanted Javelin!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "This card increases my life-points by the same amount as the monster attacking!" his life-points rose before Pikeru's attack destroyed Nova Master.

Blair: 900

Jason: 4300

"Now I can activate Trial of the Princesses' effect!" Blair said, "Since my White Magician Pikeru managed to destroy a monster that's level-5 or higher, she evolves!" Pikeru changed form until she's revealed wearing a more regal version of her outfit as well as a similar goathorn crown to match. "Say hello to (*) Princess Pikeru(4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 0)!"

* * *

><p>"All that trouble to summon a monster with the same ATK points?" Syrus wondered.<p>

"Same ATK points, but with a stronger ability." Zane said.

* * *

><p>"Next I activate the spell card Fairy of the Spring! This lets me add an equip-spell card from my graveyard!" Blair then showed her Trial of the Princesses card before adding it to her hand. "And that ends my turn!"<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one monster face-down in DEF mode," a reversed monster appeared. "I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Blair drew her next card, "And during my standby-phase, I activate Princess Pikeru's special-ability, which increases my life-points by 800 for each monster on my field!" Pikeru's staff glowed and Blair was then surrounded by a white aura.

Blair: 2700

Jason: 4300

"And when my life-points increase, Fire Princess inflicts 500 points of damage to your!" Fire Princess launched a ball of fire that burst on contact against Jason.

Blair: 2700

Jason: 3800

"But that's not all! I also have (5) Marie the Fallen One(5/ATK: 1700/DEF: 200) in my graveyard! That's another 200 life-points for me!"

Blair: 2900

Jason: 3800

"And since I gained more life-points, you lose more life-points!" the Fire Princess launched another fireball.

Blair: 2900

Jason: 3300

* * *

><p>"Now we know what she used for Monster Reincarnation," Chakra said. "With Marie the Fallen One in her graveyard, she gains an extra 200 points during each stanby-phase."<p>

"Not to mention that White Magician Pikeru!" Rock said.

"And, on top of that, Fire Princess can inflict 500 points of damage each time her life-points increase!" Chumley said.

"And from what we saw, that counts for each effect that happens!" Syrus said. "That means 1000 points of direct damage each turn!"

* * *

><p>"Next, I summon (*) Ebon Magician Curan(2ATK: 1200/DEF: 0) to the field in ATK mode!" another young girl similar to Pikeru appeared, this one with dirty-blonde hair and wore black robes complete with a rabbit-eared cap (ATK: 1200), "And I equip her with Trial of the Princesses!" Curran was given a similar scepter Pikeru was given (ATK: 2000), "Let's try out you new power, Curran, and attack that face-down monster!" Curran fired a blast of dark energy that destroyed Jason's reverse-card, which was revealed as Phantom Magician.

"When Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle, I can summon an Elemental Hero monster from my deck with 1000-or-less ATK, and I choose Woodsman!" Jason resummoned the wood-limbed hero (DEF: 2000).

"Fine, then; I'll just end my turn." Blair concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect to add Polymerization from my graveyard back to my hand. Next, I activate Polymerizaton and use Elemental Hero Flash and Millenium Shield from my hand to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two monsters merged into the colossal earth hero (ATK: 2200), "And when Gaia's summoned, he cuts the ATK points of an opponent's monster in half and adds those points to Gaia!" Gaia punched into the ground and formed a small crevice under Pikeru, dropping her half-way inside.

Princess Pikeru: (ATK: 1000)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3200)

"Elemental Hero Gaia, attack Princess Pikeru!" the earth hero charged towards the princess.

"I activate the trap card Shadow Spell!" after Blair opened her reverse-card, a series of black chains erupted from underground and ensnared the hero. "This card stops your monster from attacking, as well as drain his ATK points by 700!"

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 2500)

"I end my turn..." Jason concluded.

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 1500)

"It's my turn!" Blair drew her next card, "And the special-abilities of both Princess Pikeru and Marie the Fallen One now activate!"

Blair: 5500

Jason: 3300

"And since Fire Princess can activate her effect each time my life-points increase from an effect, you get twice the damage!" the Fire Princess launched two more balls of fire.

Blair: 5500

Jason: 2300

"And with Curran on the field, you take an extra 300 points of damage for every monster on your field!" Curran fired two small blasts of magic.

Blair: 5500

Jason: 1700

"And with that done, Curran attacks your Elemental Hero Gaia!" Curran launched a larger magical blast that destroyed Gaia.

Blair: 5500

Jason: 1200

"And I'm sure you can guess what happens next, right? Just like her twin Pikeru, Curran gets a coronation of her own thanks to the effect of Trial of the Princesses!" Curran was now wearing a royal adaption of her previous attire, "Welcome to the field, (*) Princess Curran(4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 0)! And like her sister, her special-ability doubles in this form!"

* * *

><p>"That means she can dish out 600 points of damage per monster Jason has!" Rock gasped.<p>

"We already know Blair can deal 1000 points of damage during each of her turns!" Jaden said. "Even if he has a monster to protect him, if it's not strong enough the Jason could lose in the next round!"

"Pikeru and Curran make a good pair," Zane said. "And with Fire Princess on the field and Marie the Fallen One in her grave, it makes her combo even more dangerous."

* * *

><p>"That ends my turn!"<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I use Woodsman's effect to add Polymerization back to my hand. Next I summon Elemental Stratos again," the jetpack-wearing hero returned (ATK: 1800), "And when he's summoned, I can add another Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand. Next I fuse Stratos on my field with Lady Heat from my hand with Polymerization to summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" the two heroes merged and formed the armored wind hero (ATK: 2800), "And when Great Tornado is summoned, the ATK and DEF points of every monster on the opponent's side of the field are cut in half!" the turbines on Great Tornado's shoulders activated and unleashed a large gust of wind the blew across the field.

Princess Pikeru: (ATK: 1000/DEF: 0)

Princess Curran: (ATK: 1000/DEF: 0)

Fire Princess: (ATK: ATK: 650/DEF: 750)

"Elemental Hero Woosman, switch to ATK mode and attack Fire Princess!" Woodsman rose up and slammed its fist into the Fire Princess, shattering her into pixels, "Elemental Hero Great Tornado, attack Princess Pikeru!" Great Tornado fired a pair of cyclones that carried the princess away from the field.

Blair: 3700

Jason: 1200

"Next, I activate the quick-play magic card De-Fusion!" Jason continued, "This card returns a fusion monster on the field to my fusion-deck! Then I can summon the monsters used to summon it! So by returning Great Tornado from my field, I can summon back Elemental Hero Stratos and Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" after Great Tornado separated the jetpack-wearing hero (ATK: 1800) returned with the female fire heroine (ATK: 1300), "Elemental Hero Stratos, attack Princess Curran!" Stratos launched his twin turbines that destroyed the remaning princess.

Blair: 2900

Jason: 1200

"And now, Elemental Hero Lady Heat attacks you directly!" Lady Heat formed a large fireball in her hands and launched it against Blair, where it exploded right at her feet.

Blair: 1600

Jason: 1200

"I end my turn. And during the end-phase of my turn, Lady Heat can inflict 200 points of damage for each Elemental Hero card on my side of the field!" Lady Heat tossed three more compact fireballs at Blair.

Blair: 1000

Jason: 1200

* * *

><p>"Jason just cleared the field of Blair's monsters!" Rock cheered. "Now it's his three monsters to her none!"<p>

"Looks like we won't have to worry about him losing!" Chumley said, "Blair's gonna need a monster with at least 2200 ATK points to win! And they thought I'm no good at math!"

"It's too early to celebrate." Zane muttered, catching the Slifers' attention.

"He's right," Chakra agreed. "I think this is the moment where we end up jinxing him..."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Blair drew her next card, "And the special-ability of Marie the Fallen One activates!"<p>

Blair: 1200

Jason: 1200

"Next, I activate the spell Dian Keto the Cure Master to increase my life-points by 1000!" a green aura briefly surrounded her.

Blair: 2200

Jason: 1200

"And now that's done, I can finally win this duel! I summon Injection Fairy Lily!" the angel-winged nurse from the previous duel appeared (ATK: 400), "Next I activate Lily's special-ability: by paying 2000 life-points, her ATK points increase by 3000 until the end of the turn! And one turn is all I need!" the giant syringe Injection Fairy Lily carried around turned into an even bigger rocket.

Blair: 200

Jason: 1200

Injection Fairy Lily: (ATK: 3400)

* * *

><p>"3400 ATK points?!" Syrus gasped.<p>

"But that means..." Chumley trailed off.

* * *

><p>"Injection Fairy Lily, let's finally end this!" the rocket pointed forth and carried Injection Fairy Lily in a charge against Jason's monsters. When it made contact with Stratos, a giant explosion erupted that propelled the fairy back to its home field. When the smoke cleared, Stratos was replaced by a large crater where he used to be, while Jason was left on his back.<p>

Blair: 200

Jason: 0

* * *

><p>"I can't believe it!" Rock groaned. "Jason lost?!"<p>

"Total bummer..." Chumley said.

* * *

><p>"I think we have a deal," Blair hummed, sounding pleased. "I won, so you have to keep your mouth shut." she was about turn depart the other way only to see Chakra and the others standing a short distance away.<p>

Rock and Chumley went over to help Jason off the ground. "You okay there, man?"

"Sorry about the peanut gallery; they were passing by and wanted to watch the match," Chakra said. "Besides, there's someone here I think you wanna meet." she stepped aside to put Zane into view.

"Zane! You're here!" Blair blushed upon seeing the Obelisk elite with them, "I guess you know, huh? I was the one who snuck into your dorm room earlier," she lowered her head in embarrassment. "I've been in love with you ever since I met you!"

"At the nationals..." Zane said.

"That's right! It was after you won the championship match! And right then, I pledged that I would do anything to be with you!"

"I remembered you said if I trained really, really hard, I can get into Duel Academy and I did!" Blair then held her arms out. "Now that I'm here, we can get married!"

"Getting married, that's a good one!" Jaden laughed. "Your honeymoon can be in the cafeteria and Doctor Crowler can give you away!"

"I'm not joking..."

"Haven't you learned from your duel with Jason?" Chakra asked, "You can't sneak your way into someone's heart. Just look at your Maiden. She used tricks to find love and went as far as to toss aside anyone she didn't think was good enough. Eventually someone came and saw through her facade and she ended up all alone in tears. You can't find true love wearing a disguise anymore than the Maiden used spells. The only thing you can do is be honest."

"Yeah, right!" Blair snapped anf fumed at Chakra. "You just want Zane for yourself! You're trying to get rid of me!"

"Zane, a little help is greatly appreciated..." Chakra backed away nervously.

"I'm afraid Chakra has a point, Blair," Zane said, "If you want someone's heart, or rather their respect, you have to earn it; prove your worth using what you got. It's true that your strategy using your opponent's monsters failed, but you managed to rectify it by using the strength of your own monsters. And though they may be weak, they were still able to best your opponent's monsters; just like how you managed to get into Ra Yellow at such a young age." Blair's blush deepened hearing that. "But flattered as I am of your affections, right now I'm in love with only one thing: dueling."

"Dueling...?" That was the only thing Blair could get out before Zane pulled out a card and gave it to her.

"I'm sorry, but it's time for you to go home."

"Wait a minute!" Jason interrupted, recently finding his strength to walk again. "Why does she have to leave? Isn't she one of us?"

"Yeah, ditto!" Jaden agreed. "Why does she have to leave; because you said so? Hello! She's a student here at Duel Academy! And a good one at that!"

"Actually, that's not the case at all!" the group turned to see Calypso coming towards them.

"Calypso..." Chakra mutttered under her breath and glared at the slifer girl. "How much have you seen?"

"Everything from beginning to end," Calypso snided. "And I'd like to thank our little friend for the entertainment for the evening."

"Is that all you came here to say?" Chakra asked, trying to keep her temper in check.

"That, and she's in the second grade."

As soon as she said that the group went silent for a moment before Jaden, Syrus and Chumley decided to break it. "Second grade?!"

"She's right," Zane said. "And this is a high-school, in case it crossed anyone's mind."

A second-grader? As in grade-schooler? That added another thing to Jason's spinning head. If that's true, does that mean...

"Dude...you done got beat by an eight-year-old." And Rock's statement was the final nail on the head as Jason fell over.

"Eight-and-a-half," Blair giggled over a dazed Jason Hutchins, "if that makes you feel any better." as she poke out her tonue playfully, Jaden burst out laughing.

"That's why dueling's so great!" he tittered. "If you're old enough to draw then you're old enough to win!"

* * *

><p>Then next day, Blair's parents came to take her home. The group stood in front of the pier to see her off.<p>

"Goodbye, you guys!" Blair waved off from the boat. "I'll be back as soon as I finish grade school! ...And middle school too. But I'll be back!"

Jaden laughed and looked over his shoulder. "Ya here that, Zane?"

"Please. By the time that happens I'll be long gone."

"Well, that's true. I guess Blair's crush ends here, huh?"

"Uh-uh, you guys, look over there!" Rock chuckled and pointed out to the cruise ship.

"Goodbye, Jason, my sweet prince!" Blair yelled out as the boat rose away to the horizon. "I love you!" that made the slifer freeze stiff in another state of shock.

Zane let out a small chuckle as he turned and walked off. "Good luck with that..."

"Hey Chumley, wanna go to the store and get some new cards?" Syrus asked the large Slifer as they followed.

"Yeah, I have one in mind..."

"Do me a favor, boys, and stay away from the girls in my deck." Alexis warned as she and Chakra joined them.

"I always knew having a deck of fiends would have its advantages." Calypso smirked, leaving with the others.

"Hey, Jason. You coming?"

"Meh, let's give 'im some time. This gotta be a lot to take in."

Jaden shrugged and followed Rock out of the pier, leaving Jason to process what just happened to him...

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Abaki**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by battle, both players take 500 damage.**

**(2) Maiden in Love**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 400/DEF: 300)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: As long as this card remains face-up on the field in face-up Attack Position, it is not destroyed as a result of battle. Put a "Maiden Counter" on a monster that attacks this card.**

**(3) Apprentice Magician**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 400/DEF: 200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: **

**If this card is Summoned: Target 1 face-up card on the field that you can place a Spell Counter on; place 1 Spell Counter on that target. If this card is destroyed by battle: You can Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower Spellcaster-Type monster from your Deck in face-down Defense Position.**

**(4) Fire Princess**

**Stats: [Pyro/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: Each time you gain Life Points, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.**

**(5) Marie the Fallen One**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 5 (ATK: 1700/DEF: 200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: As long as this card is in the Graveyard, increase your Life Points by 200 during each of your Standby Phases.**

**(6) White Magician Pikeru**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: During your Standby Phase, increase your Life Points by 400 points for each monster on your side of the field.**

**(7) Ebon Magician Curran**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 2 (ATK: 1200/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: During your Standby Phase, inflict 300 damage to your opponent for eachmonster they control.**

**(8) Princess Pikeru**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 2000/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except with "Trial of the Princesses". During your Standby Phase, gain 800 Life Points for each monster you control.**

**(9) Princess Curran**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 2000/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except with "Trial of the Princesses". During your Standby Phase, inflict 600 damage to your opponent for each monster they control.**

**(10) Injection Fairy Lily**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 400/DEF: 1500)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: If this card attacks or is attacked, during damage calculation (in either player's turn): You can pay 2000 LP once per battle; this card gains 3000ATK during that damage calculation only.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	25. Practice makes Imperfect

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>It's an early morning in Duel Academy when Jason was given a new assignment: helping unload cargo from the delivery boat to sell at the the card shop.<p>

"Keep it moving fellas, keep it moving!" Dorothy ordered to the other older workers as she lead them back and forth through the shift like a crossing guard. "Booster packs go there and starter packs go there, you guys!"

A noise he heard from the ocean made Jason stop what he was doing and look towards its direction. But there was nothing beside the waves crashing against the shores, so it could've been nothing.

"C'mon! I didn't say it was break time!" Dorothy clapping her hands snapped Jason back to his current objective and he continued the task at hand. "Move it, move it, move it!"

But right under their feet a dark shadow moved from under the water and emerged to the bedrock shore. It was a tall man in a scuba-gear and wetsuit. After coming out of the water he pulled his ponytail from out of his suit and remove his snorkels and goggles to look over the cliffside."There it is, the scoop of a lifetime: Duel Academy," he removed his wetsuit, not taking his eyes off the large building, "Now, let's see what kind of dirt I can dig up on the story that will make me my fortune!"

* * *

><p>"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?" Doctor Crowler jumped from his seat where the principal, Professor Banner and other major faculty were sitting around a large, oval-shaped table. "The School Duel between Duel Academy and North Academy is the biggest event of the year! We can take no chances! So it's <em>clear<em> that Zane should be our rep!" the doctor gestured towards the Obelisk Blue standing nearby.

"Zane is out best student," Sheppard agreed. "But he's a third-year student and I've received word that North Academy will be using a first-year student."

"Why would they do that?!"

"They must feel either invincible or desperate to send out a first-year against us..." Anais mused.

"Who knows? But in the spirit of competition I think we should use a first-year student too," he then turned to the upperclassman. "You understand, don't you, Zane?"

"Of course, Chancellor." Zane replied.

"Now then, our only question is who this first-year should be..."

"...Jaden Yuki." the thought made everyone's head turn, and Crowler cringed at the idea.

"I agree," Banner said. "Jaden _is_ the best of our new students. Don't you agree?" he looked down at Pharaoh who mewled in response.

"Oh, well if the _cat_ said so..." Crowler grumbled.

Zane turned to the principal. "Chancellor, he'll make Duel Academy proud. Trust me."

"Actually, if I may..." Banner interrupted. "One student came to me the other day and suggested this to me, and I think we should consider Jason Hutchins a possible candidate as well."

Anais pressed back to her seat at the suggestion. "Whoever suggested that?"

"Yes! Who came to you with that idea?!" Crowler exclaimed.

"They wanted me to keep it confidential, but they were seem to have faith in Jason's abilities."

"Hm, I can sympathize," Sheppard said. "He did managed to win against the top Card Professor, among other duelist."

"I cannot help but notice that the one thing the two have in common besides being in Slifer Red is that they both use Elemental Heroes," Anais said.

"It would be interesting to see them duel each other for a change. We can have a duel-off to see who gets to represent us; unless someone has other suggestions..."

Meanwhile, Crowler was gritting his teeth at the thought of someone from Slifer Red representing the event. 'Those Slifer Slackers! Everytime one of those rejects do well, they make me look bad, like with the Paradox Brothers! Or with Bandit Keith! I can't even get that big-nosed lumox expelled! There has to be someone else...' "Wait! Of course, Bastion Misawa! He should represent us!"

"Bastion?" Sheppard asked, intrigued.

"Oh yes!" Crowler climbed onto the tabled and scrabbled towards the principal, "He's far more qualified. He's scored the best on the written exams of all new applicants and his dueling and grades are remarkable," he reached the principal and leaned over. "It should be him!"

Sheppard backed away a little before he replied. "Well, we can make it a battle-royale for the spot."

"Chancellor, if I may!" Anais interrupted. "Perhaps it would be better if we made this a bracket-style tournament, with a forth nominee." in reality she would rather have an orderly tournament instead of a discorded free-for-all.

"Anyone on your mind?" Sheppard asked.

* * *

><p>After sneaking into the school and dodging several students and staff, he managed to find the boy's locker room and rummaged through the first locker he found. He smirked when he found a large Slifer Red blazer. "Gotta blend in somehow..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Huh? A School Duel?" Jason asked, sitting across Chakra at the table in the store.<p>

"Please don't tell you don't know about it," Chakra said, "It's the biggest event in Duel Academy. And this year we're competing against North Academy."

"There's a Duel Academy like this one?"

"Okay..." Chakra sighed, "Look just as there's a Duel Academy here in Japan, there are others stationed on the four corners or the globe. Those are North, West, East and South Academies. You follow me?"

"Yeah, so did the others duel in the School Duel like North Academy?"

"It's kind of complicated. You see, each year the four academies of the North, West, East and South choose a candidate from each academy to duel each other to see who gets to represent their school to play against ours. And this year it's North Academy's turn."

"So who represents here?"

"Well...how would you feel if you represent Duel Academy this year?"

Jason slightly jumped back against his seat when hearing that. "Um, me...? I don't know about that."

"Are you afraid you'd lose?" Chakra asked. Jason didn't respond and just looked away, "I know, everyone would be counting on you and you don't want to disappoint them, right?"

"I just don't know if I'm ready for that. I don't think they'd want me to represent them, anyway."

"What if you prove them wrong? If people know how capable you are in dueling, wouldn't that mean they would respect you?"

"I guess so. But there's a lot of students here and it could take a long time."

"I guess it will. But it's never too late to start. How about it?"

Jason weighed his options. If he loses against a stronger duelists, he's only make himself look worse. Dueling someone more of his level wouldn't help any. Maybe showing the others he's not some weak Slifer is the best idea. It's better late than never. "Maybe a duel won't hurt."

Chakra smiled at his answer, "Well then, let's get started."

* * *

><p>Now in disguise, the stranger from overseas wandered aimlessly in the halls of the school. As he walked on, he saw a few obelisk student coming his way and smiled, "Hey, fellow duelist! What's shakin' around here-"<p>

"Out of the way, you Slifer Slime," one of them shoved him aside and kept walking.

"Hey..." he called to the obelisk, but they ignored him. He decided to try again when he saw a yellow student approaching, "Hey, how's it going-"

"Beat it, Slifer Sludge!" the yellow student hissed and pushed him as he went on.

"What is going on here?" the man shook his head, "Why wouldn't anyone talk to me?"

"Hey!"

He turned and saw a student in red with brown and bronze hair and brown eyes, among two other students, "Oh... uh, hey..."

The boy looked him over and smiled, "You're old. How can you be a Slifer?" the stranger winched at the questioning remark. Then Jaden grinned and slapped him on the back, "Hey, no worries, it cool. We totally understand! It just took you a while to get accepted here! Don't be ashamed, old timer! Are you Jason's new roommate?"

'Jason? Who's that...?' the stranger wondered, trying to make something up, "Uh, yeah, I'm his new roommate! He just doesn't know it yet..."

"I can help you with that! Let's go find 'im!" Jaden ran off pulling the stranger with him, with Syrus and Chumley trying to catch up.

'Not running...' Chumley huffed.

They went as far as to see a crowd standing around a bulletin on the screen. When they got closer, they saw the announcement:

**PARTICIPANT'S IN TODAY'S SKILLS LESSON:**

**Obelisk Blue's 1st Year Jasmine**

**VS.**

**Slifer Red's 1st Year Jason Hutchins**

* * *

><p>Jaden lead the way back outside, where a crowd of students stood in the circle. When they pushed through they found both the Obelisk and Slifers in the center with their duel-disks strapped on.<p>

"In today's skills lesson, at the suggestion of...some Slifer...we will be holding an extracurricular duel! That's why today's Skills Lesson will be between Jasmine from Obelisk Blue and Slifer Red's...well, doesn't matter. Let the duel begin!"

"So Jason arranged it?" Syus wondered, "I wonder why?"

"To practice." The Slifers turned to see Chakra standing beside them, "With the duel-off coming up, he'll want to be prepared for it.

"You went out of the way to set this up?" Jasmine said to the Slifer, "I don't know whether to be flattered or feel sorry for you."

"By the way, be sure to duel like your grade depends on it," Crowler announced, "Because it does!"

Both duelists activated their duel-disks and drew their starting hand.

"DUEL!"

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I'll start thing off," Jasmine drew her sixth card, "I summon (1) Harpie Channeler(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1300) in DEF mode!" a black-feathered harpie with styled red hair appeared with a staff in one of her talons (DEF: 1300), "Next I activate the field-spell Harpies' Hunting Ground!" after the spell was played, five stone pillars rose behind Jasmine, the far left one in which Harpie Channeler flew up and perched herself on, "And when this card's out, all winged-beasts on the field gain an extra 200 points!"

Harpie Channeler: (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1500)

"Next I activate the continuous-spell Hysteric Sign to add an Elegant Egotist to my hand!" Jasmine showed her opponent the card before shuffling her deck and adding it to her hand, "And activate Harpie Channeler's ability: by discarding one of my harpie cards in my hand to the graveyard, I can special-summon a Harpie monster from my deck! And the monster I choose to summon will be the queen of the harpies herself, (2) Harpie Queen(4/ATK: 1900/DEF: 1200)!" raising her staff a whirlwind of black feathers formed over the field and dispersed to reveal a taller, more mature harpie, this one with white wings and teal hair up in a ponytail (DEF: 1400), "And when a harpie monster is summoned on Harpies' Hunting Ground, they destroy one spell/trap card on the field," Harpie Queen shredded Jasmine's Hysteric Sign before perching herself on the center pillar; a move Jason couldn't help but notice.

'But why did she destroy her own card...?' the Slifer wondered.

"I place once card face-down on the field, and activate the spell card Elegant Egotist! With a Harpie Lady on my field, I can special-summon Harpie Lady Sisters from my deck!" from Harpie Queen, three additional harpies formed from behind her (DEF: 2300), "And as soon as they appear, another card in the spell/trap card zone is destroyed!" the lead harpie with long red hair dove down and pierced the reverse-card with her lower talons.

"But you're just destroying your own cards!" Jason said.

"That's because I have cards that are actually worth destroying, this one being my Dark Coffin trap," When the Harpie sister pulled away, a stone coffin rose from it, "because when it's destroyed by a card-effect, you have to make a choice; to either destroy one of your monsters, or discard one random card from your hand. And since you don't have any monsters out..." the coffin opened up and a dark shadow jumped out of it that shot at Jason's hand. Jason got the message and discarded his Waboku card.

"C'mon, Jasmine! Give us another in over those slifers!" one of the obelisks shouted, with the others cheering her on.

"Finally I place two cards face-down on the field!" three reverse-cards appeared, "And before the end of my turn, the effect of my Hysteric Party activates. It allows me to add up to three Harpie cards from my deck to my hand. And there's more. Remember the card I sent to the graveyard for Harpie Channeler's effect? It happens to be another Hysteric Sign. So that's another three card from my deck!" Jasmine restored her hand to six cards.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his sixth card, "I activate the magic card, A Hero Lives! When there are no monsters on my field, I can pay half my life-points and special-summon a level-4-or-lower Elemental Hero from my deck, and I summon Elemental Hero Stratos!" the jetpack-wearing hero appeared (ATK: 1800).

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 2000**

"And when Stratos is summoned, I can add another Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand!" Jason revealed Elemental Hero Heat before shuffling his deck again, "Next, I activate Polymerization and send Elemental Heroes Ocean and Woodsman from my hand to the graveyard in order to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two heroes merged and formed the armored ice hero (ATK: 2500), "Next I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the fire-type hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And he gains 200 ATK points for each Elemental Hero on my field (ATK: 2000)! Elemental Hero Absolute Zero, attack Harpie Channeler!" Absolute Zero charged towards the Harpie Channeler.

"You just fell into my trap! Activating Aqua Chorus and Mirror Wall!" Jasmine opened her reverse-cards, both continuous-trap cards. A wall of crystal shards shot of from the ground and rose to heights even higher than the pillars, where Absolute Zero's attack was met with the walls surface, not even being scratched.

Elemental Hero Absolute Zero: (ATK: 1250)

"What just happened?!" Jason gasped.

"What just happened is my Mirror Wall trap," Jasmine exclaimed, "And monster you use to attack triggers the trap, summoning a wall that absorbs half you monsters ATK points. So now your Absolute Zero is weaker than my Harpies; especially when I have Aqua Chorus face-up on my field. It adds 500 ATK and DEF points to my monsters when they share the same name."

"Because they all have the word 'Harpie' in it?"

"Close, but that's not what I meant. Certain Harpies share a very special ability, giving then the title 'Harpie Lady' while on the field or in the graveyard. So Harpie Channeler and Harpie Queen are now both Harpie Ladies!"

Harpie Channeler: (ATK: 2100/DEF: 2000)

Harpie Queen: (ATK: 2600/DEF: 1900)

"Now take the difference between your monsters ATK points and Harpie Lady Sisters' DEF points!"

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 1250**

"I activate the Rain of Mercy magic card!" Jason said, "This increases both our life-points by 1000!"

**Jasmine: 5000**

**Jason: 2250**

"I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Jasmine drew her next card, "And during my standby-phase, I send Mirror Wall to the graveyard," the continuous-trap vanished, "It's time we brought this duel to a close. Remember the cards I added to my hand?" she pulled a card from her hand to show to Jason, "This is one of them. I activate the spell known as Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation!" right after the spell was inserted, the harpies launched themselves into the sky, "Since there's at least three Harpie Lady or Harpy Lady Sisters, I can activate this spell! It destroys a monster for each Harpie that I have and then you take damage equal to original ATK points of the strongest monster among them!" the flock of harpies formed in a v-formation and became engulfed in blue fire in the form of a giant bird.

Jason stared at the phoenix and then at Absolute Zero, "But..."

"Harpie Lady Phoenix, incinerate!" Jasmine's phoenix let out an ear-piercing screech and made a dive against Jason's field, before it burst into a sea of flames on contact, "First it destroys your monsters!" the intense white flames obliterated Jason's Elemental Heroes, "Then you take Absolute Zero's ATK points as damage! That's 2500!" Jason shielded himself to no avail as the flames swirled over and around him, only burning out when the last of his life-points dropped to rock bottom.

**Jasmine: 5000**

**Jason: 0**

"An the winner of this duel, by flawless victory, is Jasmine from Obelisk Blue!" Crowler announced, "As if there were any doubt..."

Jasmine deactivated her duel-disk and stared down at Jason, who had his head lowered and was on his knees, "I would say it's a good game, but let's not kid ourselves." she turned and left with the crowd dissipating.

"I can't believe that duel ended so quickly."

"I can. What else do you expect from a Slifer?"

"I guess winning against Bandit Keith really was a fluke after all."

"What a croc! And to think I almost have respect for him!"

"Guess it's true; one a Slifer Slacker always a Slifer Slacker."

With the crowd gone, Jaden and the other three Slifers went with Chakra to Jason, "Talk about having rotten luck," Jaden said, "I really thought you actually stood a chance at this one."

"It's my fault," Chakra said, "I was the one who talked him into it. I didn't think he'd lose this bad."

"I guess that practice duel for the duel-off backfired." Syrus said.

"Duel-Off?" Jason lift his head, "what are you talking about?"

"You must've been out of class when Professor Banner made the announcement!" Chumley said, "There's gonna be a duel tournament to see who gets to represent Duel Academy in the School Duel! And the students dueling are you, Jaden, Bastion and-"

"Chumley!" Chakra snapped at the older Slifer, "I think Jason's gone through enough today. Maybe we should call it a day and worry about that later."

A ringing soon got their attention which came from Jason's pocket, and he took out his PDA to find a call waiting on it. He answered it to see Anais on video.

_"Jason Hutchins, you are to report to the school's duel-arena in ten minutes for an extracurricular practical exam. Failure to do so will result in an automatic failing grade."_ the video turned off there.

"Well, so much for calling it a day." Chumley muttered.

"And Jason still looks out of it from that last duel," Jaden said, "Talk about bad timing."

"But what is he gonna do?" Syrus asked, "You heard her, skipping out will just add another bad mark to his record!"

"I guess there's no way out of it," Chakra said, and knelt down to Jason, "Listen, that was just one duel. It's not the end of the world that you lost."

"Even though it's the same as flunking a test?" Chumley added; Chakra shot a glare at him and caused him to stay quiet.

"Jason, do you think you can do one more for the day?" Chakra asked.

"Did you tell them to put me in that tournament?" Jason asked Chakra, not looking at the Obelisk.

"What? Look, I wanted to tell you when the time was right, but I didn't want you to feel any pressure before then. I wanted to build some confidence in you, but I guess I messed that up. How about we forget about that for now. Let's just go to the arena and get it over with, okay?"

"...Alright." Jason stood up.

"Thanks. Let's get going."

'Ugh, I'm getting nowhere fast being dragged around with these kids,' the man groaned, 'But then again, they could be my best chance at getting this story...' with that he followed the Obelisk and the Slifers back to the school building.

* * *

><p>With a couple of minutes to spare, Jason managed to enter the arena floor with Anais waiting on the opposite side.<p>

"I'm pleased you decided to show up, Mister Hutchins," the disciplinarian greeted, "I hope you came prepared."

"Before we begin, are there any questions you would like answered?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jason said, "Am I really going to be graded on this?"

"Yes, you are. How well you do on this test will depend on how well you perform. Whether you win or lose will not affect your final score as much as how well you respond to the situation, Will that be all, or do you have more questions?" Jason shook his head, "Good. Then no more questions. Now to decide who goes first," Anais pulled out a coin and tossed it up, "Call it."

"Uh, heads!" The coin fell to the ground.

"Tails. So I will go first. Let's begin the extracurricular duel," the staff Anais held morphed into the duel-disk podium she had used before. After equipping her dueling platform on it, she drew her starting hand; Jason meanwhile activating his duel-disk and drawing his own, "And begin."

**Anais: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"As I said before, I will start things off," Anais drew her first card, "First I activate the continuous-spell card Senet Switch," the card came to life on her left-most spell/trap zone, where the field before then briefly lit with a 4x5 grid.

* * *

><p>"Senet Switch? I didn't think she'd use that card." Syrus said.<p>

"Yeah, ditto," Chumley agreed, "I mean what's the point of moving cards around?"

* * *

><p>"Next I summon (4) Giant Rat(4ATK: 1400/DEF: 1450) in DEF mode," a giant, beady-eyed rat appeared in the center monster zone (DEF: 1450), "Finally I place one card face-down, and end my turn." the reverse-card appeared in the center spell/trap zone.

"It's my turn," Jason drew her next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode," the merman hero appeared in the center monster zone (ATK: 1500), "Attack her giant rat!" Ocean cut the rat down with his trident.

"When Giant Rat is destroyed in battle, I'm allowed to special-summon an earth-attribute monster with 1500 or less ATK points to the field in ATK mode. And the monster I choose is (6) Rampaging Rhynos(3/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500), replacing my rat in my central column," a petite, man-like rhinoceros in blue-and-gold armor appeared in the same spot the rat used to be (ATK: 1500).

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." a reverse-card appeared behind the monster.

"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I attack with Rampaging Rhyno and activate its ability," Rhynos raised its battle-axe as a gold aura surrounded him, "When it battles in the same column as the monster it attacks, it gains 500 ATK points during the damage-step (ATK: 2000). Now Attack his Elemental Hero!" Rhynos charged forth before it found itself bound by a chained weapon held by Ocean.

"I activate my trap card Kunai with Chain!" Jason revealed his reverse-card, and Ocean's new weapon bound the rhino in its chains (DEF: 500), "It switches your monster to DEF mode and increases Ocean's ATK points by 500 (ATK: 2000)!"

"I activate the effect of Senet Switch," Anais said, "Once per turn, I can move one of my monsters to an unoccupied monster card zone. So I move Rampaging Rhynos one space to the right," the bound Rhynos slid over one space to Anais' inner-right column, "Then I summon (5) Winged Rhynos(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 500) in the central column," a man-like rhino in silver-plated armor, with legs and wings of a bird, appeared in Rampaging Rhynos' previous spot, in front of Anais' reverse-card (DEF: 500), "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Element Saurus in ATK mode," the bronze-scaled dinosaur appeared to the left of Ocean (ATK: 1500), "Then I equip it with Scroll of Enchantment and change its attribute to EARTH, which allows it to negate the effects of any monster it destroys. Element Saurus, attack Winged Rhinos!" the dinosaur stomped towards the winged monster.

"I activate my trap, Blasting Fuse," Anais opened the reverse-card she placed in the center, "When there are three more cards in the same column where Blasting Fuse is activated, then those cards are destroyed."

* * *

><p>"She just sacrificed her monster to destroy Jason's Elemental Hero!" Syrus said.<p>

"I don't think a sacrifice is what Anais has in mind for Winged Rhynos." Chakra corrected.

* * *

><p>"I activate Winged Rhynos' ability: when a trap card is activated, I can return Winged Rhynos from the field back to my hand," Winged Rhynos stretched its wings and hovered off the field and soon, back into Anais' hand. Jason looked on helplessly as a series of explosions blasted across the column, destroying Ocean and Kunai with Chain, this freeing Rhynos of its bindings.<p>

* * *

><p>"You see, this is why Winged Rhynos was chosen to become bait," Chakra said, "its special-ability allows it to move out of the line of fire from Blasting Fuse."<p>

* * *

><p>"I end my turn," Jason gloomed.<p>

"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I switch Rampaging Rhynos to ATK mode, and summon (7) Alien Infiltrator(2/ATK: 800/DEF: 500) to my center column, on the offensive as well," a small, grey alien with tentacle-like arm appeared in the center spot (ATK: 800), "Next, I switch Rampaging Rhynos' battle-position and attack your Element Saurus; and since your monster is in the same column as Rampaging Rhynos, my monster gains 500 ATK points during the damage-step (ATK: 2000)," Rampaging Rhynos destroyed the dinosaur with a swing of its axe.

**Anais: 4000**

**Jason: 3500**

"Next, I attack you directly with Alien Infiltrator," the alien lashed out at Jason with its tendril arms.

**Anais: 4000**

**Jason: 2700**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Anais set her card on her right-most field.

"It's my turn..." Jason muttered and drew his next card, "I set one monster in DEF mode," a reversed monster appeared in the central field, "I place one card face-down and end my turn." a reverse-card appeared behind the monster.

"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I activate Senet Switch's effect and move Alien Infiltrator one space to the left," the alien moved to Anais' inner-left column, "Next, I attack with Rampaging Rhynos," the rhino destroyed the sent card, which was revealed as Phantom Magician.

"When Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle, I can special-summon an Elemental Hero monster from my deck with 1000 or less ATK points from my deck. I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode," the wood-limbed hero appeared in Phantom Magician's place (DEF: 2000).

"I attack with Alien Infiltrator," the alien leap over Woodsman and gave another lashing at Jason.

**Anais: 4000**

**Jason: 1900**

* * *

><p>"Wait, did I see that right? Jason still has a monster on the field!" Jaden gasped.<p>

* * *

><p>"When Alien Infiltrator stands in a column with no cards on the opponent's space, it can attack directly," Anais explained.<p>

'I think I understand now...' Jason silently anguished, 'Those cards Anais is using allows them to do certain stuff when they're in a certain space...'

"Now I activate the continuous-spell card Ground Collapse. With this, two of your monster card zones are off-limits, meaning you cannot summon any monster in that space," she placed her card in her center spell/trap zone, and the two spaces between Elemental Hero Woodsman, the inner-left and inner-right spots, lit up, showing that they are off-limits, "With that, I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'My Woodsman can handle that rhino, but that alien can attack me directly when it's on an empty line across. And with that Senet Switch, she can move it to any spot she wants to! But if I can destroy it...' "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization from my deck to my hand," the fusion card removed from his deck, "Next I activate Polymerization and use Elemental Heroes Heat and Voltic to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two heroes from Jason's hand merged into the armored fire hero, who was placed in Jason's left-most field (ATK: 2600), "Nova Master, attack Alien Infiltrator!" Nova Master charged towards the alien.

"I activate the trap card Gravity Bind," Anais opened a continuous-trap card, and a grid-like barrier formed over the field that pressed Nova Master down to the floor where he dropped, "As long as this card is on the field, no monsters higher than level-3 can attack."

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason sighed and set his card in his inner-right spell/trap zone parallel to Alien Infiltrator.

"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I summon (5) Numbing Grub of the Ice Barrier(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 1800) in DEF mode," a small, white grub worm appeared in her center field (DEF: 1800), "And when this monster is normal-summoned, one of your monster-card zones become off-limits," the grub spewed out an icy substance onto Jason's only remaining unoccupied monster zone, which then lit up, "Next, I activate Senet Switch and move Alien Infiltrator three spaces to the left," the alien moved itself to her far left, "Now I will attack you directly with Alien Infiltrator," the alien lashed out at the Slifer.

**Anais: 4000**

**Jason: 1100**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Anais set the card in her inner left zone.

* * *

><p>"Of all the strategies I've seen here, I've never seen anything as wierd as this," Chumley said, "And I should know!"<p>

"Yeah, but it works!" Syrus said.

"You said it, moving her monsters around and blocking off Jason's spaces, where did she come up with that idea?" Jaden wondered.

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization back to my hand. Next, I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn," he set the two cards in his inner-left and far-right spelltrap zones, 'Okay, I may not be able to attack, but I did manage to put a card in each of my columns, so Alien Infiltrator can't get to my life-points...'

"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I sacrifice Rampaging Rhynos and Alien Infiltrator to summon (8) Storm Shooter(7/ATK: 2300/DEF: 500)," the two monster vanished and was replaced by a man-shaped harpie with green feathers on its wings and over its head forming a crown. The avian was placed on Anais' far-right field in front of Nova Master (ATK: 2300), "Next I activate Storm Shooter's ability, which allows me to remove a card from the same column as this monster and return it to the hand," Storm Shooter beat its wings and sent a whirlwind towards Nova Master.

"I activate my trap card Spiritual Fire Art!" Jason opened his center reverse-card, "by releasing a fire-attribute monster on my field, its ATK points are inflicted to the opponent's life-points!" Nova Master ignited in an aura of flame and flew over Storm Shooter before diving into Anais.

**Anais: 1400**

**Jason: 1100**

* * *

><p>"Since he can't attack with Gravity Bind on the field, he sacrificed Nova Master to land a direct attack," Chakra said, "It's a good move as usual, but still..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Next I activate the spell Monster Reborn; and with it I summon Alien Infiltrator back to the field in ATK position," Alien Infiltrator returned in its previous position, "Next I activate Senet Switch to move Storm Shooter three spaces to the left," Storm Shooter was placed on the inner-left monster zone.<p>

'So since she can only use Senet Switch with one monster per turn, she she has to wait for later to put that alien on a different spot,' Jason realized, 'If I can get a card on that column on my next turn, that could buy me enough time...'

"Next I activate Alien Infiltrator's ability, and move it four spaces to the right," Jason's heart sank as Alien Infiltrator moved to the far right, "And since you have no cards in this monster's column, Alien Infiltrator will attack you directly," the alien lashed out with its tendril arms.

"I activate my trap card, Windstorm of Etaqua!" Jason opened his inner-left reverse-card and a hurricane erupted against Storm Shooter (DEF: 500) and Alien Infiltrator (DEF: 500), "It changes the battle-position of every face-up monster on my opponent's field!"

"I switch Storm Shooter back to ATK position (ATK: 2300). Then I place one card face-down and end my turn," Anais set her card in her inner-right zone.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'This could work...' "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode," the flowerbud hero appeared on his far-left field (ATK: 600), 'This monster can't be attacked while there's another Elemental Hero on my field, so Alien Infiltrator can't destroy it,' "And with her effect, I can attack you directly!" Knospe fired her projectile seeds.

"I activate the trap card, Spirit Barrier," Anais opened her reverse-card and a barrier formed around her protecting her form Knospe's attack, "As long as this card is face-up on the field, I cannot receive damage so long as there is a monster on my field."

"Then...I'll end my turn," Jason groaned.

* * *

><p>"Hey Chakra, you seem to know alot about that Senet stuff," Jaden said, "Is there a secret on how to break that strategy?"<p>

"Well...if you're facing a Senet deck, the field itself, this the duel itself, becomes a modified chessboard. Instead of just concerning yourself about your opponent's cards, you also have to pay attention to their position they're in."

"I'm glad I'm not in Jason shoes," Chumley admitted, "I'm no good at chess." the other two Slifers sympathized and admitted the same thing themselves.

"And just like chess it's best to think at least two steps ahead of your opponent," Chakra continued, "A Senet deck usually holds monsters with the ability to move spaces at will. And with cards that quarantine an opponent's spaces, it makes it more easier to meet the requirements for their additional effects."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I move Alien Infiltrator one space to the left due to its ability," the alien moved to the inner-right space, "And since there are no cards in that column, Alien Infiltrator can attack you directly," the alien lashed out once again at Jason.<p>

**Anais: 1400**

**Jason: 300**

"Next I activate Senet Switch to move Numbing Grub of the Ice Barrier two spaces to the left and then use Storm Shooter's ability to move it one space to the right," Numbing Grub moved to the far-left column and Storm Shooter the center, "I end my turn."

* * *

><p>"So what's the trick for Jason?" Jaden asked.<p>

"There's no specified trick against a strategy like this. I'm sure Jason has what he needs in his deck. All he has to do is think ahead of Anais."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate my face-down card, Polymerization!" the far-right reverse-card opened, "I remove Elemental Heroes Knospe and Woodsman to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two woodland heroes merged and became the armored earth hero, who appeared in the center column (ATK: 2200), "And when Gaia is summoned, the ATK points of an opponent's monster are cut in half, and then Gaia's ATK points increase by the amount taken!" Gaia pounded into the ground and sent forth a shockwave that hit Storm Shooter.<p>

Storm Shooter: (ATK: 1150)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3350)

"Next I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in ATK mode!" the jetpack-wearing hero appeared on the far-left column (ATK: 1800), "And when Stratos is summoned, I can destroy one spell or trap card on the field for every other Elemental Hero monster on my field!" Stratos fired a pair of cyclones that ripped through Anais' trap card, "Elemental Hero Gaia, attack Storm Shooter!"

"Spirit Barrier's ability activates," Anais the barrier rose over her just before Storm Shooter was smashed against Gaia's attack, "And even though my monster in in ATK mode, it still protects me from all battle-damage."

"Elemental Hero Stratos, attack!" Stratos launched another cyclone and destroyed Alien Infiltrator, "I end my turn."

* * *

><p>"Okay, this is it. If he can make it through the next turn, he can win this," Jaden hoped.<p>

"So...what's stopping him?" Syrus asked.

"Well, for one thing, Anais was able to bring back her Alien Infiltrator from the graveyard a while back," Chakra said, "And Jason had just left himself open for its special attack. So if she manages to recover that monster a second time, I'm afraid there's nothing stopping her."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Anais drew her next card, "I activate the spell card Monster Reincarnation. By discarding one card from my hand, I can return one monster from my graveyard to my hand," she replace one of the cards in her hand with the chosen monster, "Next I summon Alien Infiltrator to the field in ATK position," the small alien returned for the third time, in Anais' inner-right column (ATK: 800), "Next I activate the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy a spell or trap card on your field," her card came to life and summoned a cyclone coming towards Jason's only reverse-card.<p>

"I activate the trap card Spiritual Wind Art!" Jason's reverse-card opened and Stratos flew towards the cyclone as a twister himself, holding it back, "By releasing a wind-attribute monster, I can return any card on the opponent's field to the bottom of their deck!" Stratos' cyclone finally pushed back and blew Alien Infiltrator off the field.

"I end my turn."

* * *

><p>"So it wasn't just a bluff after all!" Jaden said, "It just needed the right card to be played with it!"<p>

"And that means Jason has Checkmate," Chakra smirked.

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Fusion Recovery to return Polymerization and a fusion-material monster from my graveyard to my hand. Next I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode," the merman hero appeared for a second time in the center column (ATK: 1500), "Elemental Hero Gaia, attack!" Gaia destroyed the grub worm, "Elemental Hero Ocean, attack her directly!" Ocean swing his trident and cleaved into the opponent.<p>

**Anais: 0**

**Jason: 300**

"So you managed to completely deplete my life-points. Not many has managed to do so with the strategy I had planned; and I've rarely take these cards out unless I feel like I need to. Is this your first time playing against Senet Switch?" Jason nodded, "Well, you were able to manage in an unfamiliar situation. However, you've won with a score away from losing, so defense was lackluster. On the other hand, you were able to adapt to the situation presented to you; thinking strategically and holding a defensive line against the threat, albeit immediate. So as your final score...you've passed; barely. You're free to go." as Anais left Jason at the stage, Chakra and the others gathered around him.

"So, you won your duel," Chakra said, "I think that evens out one-to-one. How do you feel?"

"I don't know," Jason shrugged, looking away, "I don't feel any different."

"You're still bummed about what happened outside?" Chumley asked, "I'd feel down too but I'd always feel better after I try again."

"He's right," Jaden said, "If first you don't succeed, get back up and try again."

"And isn't that what you did, Jason?" Chakra asked, "Now that you redeemed yourself, doesn't that make you feel a little better?"

The loss he was given by Jasmine still bothered him. But the fact that he won against Anais seemed to have balanced it out. In a way, his victory here may have gave him some degree of peace, "I guess...I feel a little better."

"I'm glad to hear that," Chakra smiled, "So you wanna call it a day and head back to the dorms?"

"Okay," Jason nodded.

'Well, that's another pointless duel out of the way,' the man thought as he watched the students gathered at the arena, 'Maybe now they'll give me space so I can find that scoop,' he the turned for the door to leave...

"Hey, old-timer!" the man flinched as he stopped at Jaden's call, "You know, I was so caught up in the action I forgot to introduce you!" Jaden moved aside from the man's view on Jason, "Hey, Jason! This is your new roommate! Um...what's your name?"

The man stared at the black-haired Slifer who stared back with a blank expression, 'Great. Guess I'll have to sit around with these kids a bit longer...' he gave him a reluctant grin, "Eh, nice to meet ya!"

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Harpie Channeler**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1300**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: You can discard 1 "Harpie" card; Special Summon 1 "Harpie" monsterfrom your Deck in face-up Defense Position, except "Harpie Channeler". You can only use this effect of "Harpie Channeler" once per turn. While you control a Dragon-Type monster, this card's Level becomes 7. This card's name becomes "Harpie Lady" while it is on the field or in the Graveyard.**

**(2) Harpie Queen**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1900 DEF/1200**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: You can discard this card to the Graveyard; add 1 "Harpies' Hunting Ground" from your Deck to your hand. This card's name becomes "Harpie Lady" while it is on the field or in the Graveyard.**

**(3) Giant Rat**

**Stats: [Beast/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1400 DEF/1450**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 EARTH monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck, in Attack Position.**

**(4) Numbing Grub of the Ice Barrier**

**Stats: [Aqua/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1300 DEF/1800**

**Attribute: WATER**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, select 1 unused Monster Card Zone. While this card is face-up on the field, that selected Monster Card Zone cannot be used.**

**(5) Winged Rhynos**

**Stats: [Beast-Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1800 DEF/500**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: During either player's turn, when a Trap Card is activated (except during the Damage Step): You can return this face-up card from the field to the hand.**

**(6) Rampaging Rhynos**

**Stats: [Beast-Warrior/Effect] Level 3 ATK/1500 DEF/500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Once per turn, this card can move to an adjacent unoccupied Monster Card Zone. If this card attacks the monster in its same column, this card gains 500 ATK during the Damage Step.**

**(7) Alien Infiltrator**

**Stats: [Reptile/Effect] Level 2 ATK/800 DEF/500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Once per turn, this card can move to an adjacent unoccupied Monster Card Zone. If no Spell, Trap or Monster Card on your opponent's side of the field is in the same column as this card, it can attack your opponent directly.**

**(8) Storm Shooter**

**Stats: [Winged-Beast/Effect] Level 7 ATK/2300 DEF/500**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: Once per turn, you can select and activate 1 of these effects: ● Move this card to an adjacent unoccupied Monster Card Zone. ● Return 1 Spell,Trap or Monster Card on your opponent's side of the field in the same column as this card to its owner's hand.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	26. Tryout Tournament: Part 1

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>Later in the evening after the sun has set, Jaden and his roommates gathered in their dorm room with Jason and his new roommate invited, the two hero duelists going over their cards for tomorrow's event.<p>

"Whoa, you're deck's looking good, Jaden," Syrus said, "Still, I wonder what kind of deck Bastion's gonna have..."

"Don't know, but it sounds like he put some major time and brainjuice into it," Chumley said.

Syrus nodded and turned back to Jaden, "Nervous?"

"No way. I'm excited!" Jaden scooped his cards up together off the wooden floor, "There!"

"Excited?!"

"Yeah! For a sweet challenge!" Jaden dusted off his deck, "My cards are up for it."

"You never worry..." Syrus gave an awkward smile.

"Yeah," Chumley agreed.

'And I'll never get my story by hanging out with these twerps,' the oldest Slifer thought in frustration before finding something misplaced on the floor. He picked it up and found a duel-monsters card, something that caused him to grit his teeth, 'Skyscraper...the card that ruined dueling for me...'

"Hey, old-timer, you okay?"

"Stop it with that! My name is Gerard!" he snapped back at Jaden, then realized what he just snapped back, 'I told them my real name...!'

"Cool, Gerard it is!" Jaden looked down at the card Gerard was holding, "Hey, Skyscraper! You like that card too?"

Gerard turned away and scoffed, "No way. You'd have to like dueling first..."

"If you don't like dueling, what are you doing here?" Syrus wondered, causing Gerard to do a double-take.

"Oh! Well, I just mean I don't like it 'cause I'm not good at it!"

"Same here. I mean it's not that I don't like dueling," Chumley nodded, "It's just I'm not really all that good at it. But that's changing."

"It sure is!" Jaden added.

"Yeah, see, once I started hanging out with these guys, I saw how they dueled and it totally changed my life."

"That's it!" Syrus said, "Gerard, maybe if you watch Jaden and Jason duel, you'll start to like dueling more like Chumley! The perfect match is coming up. They're gonna be dueling in the Duel-Off tomorrow."

"Sure, we'll see..." Gerard accepted, but his thoughts said something else, 'Please, I'm done with dueling. These kids should just mind their own business... Wait, seeing how they like to pry, maybe they can help me with my story!' "So you guys, I was just wondering; do you know anything about a rumor floating around where kids here go missing?"

"...Does he mean the abandoned dorm?" Jaden asked.

"The abandoned dorm?" Gerald repeated.

"Yeah, see, we kinda wandered inside it once. Very strange place. Why'd you ask?"

"So you know where it is, right?"

"That's not a good idea," Jason chimed in, "that place must be abandoned for a reason because if they catch you there you can get expelled."

"He's right, you know," Syrus said, "We got caught last time but we were lucky enough to stay here. I don't think it's worth the risk."

"Oh. Well that's too bad..." Gerard said. But he had other ideas...

* * *

><p>Later that evening, at the supposed-to-be abandoned dorm building, a rose was being carefully placed at the gate posts, "Be at peace, brother, wherever you are. Take care..."<p>

But then a nearby rustling of leaves caused Alexis to spin around to the source, "Who's there?!"

From the treeline Gerard emerged. He had waited until late in the night when everyone was asleep to sneak out to find this place. But that was when he thought that it would actually be abandoned, "Why hello there."

"Do I know you?" Alexis asked, although not in the mood for a conversation.

"Uh...yeah, I've seen you around," Gerard lied, "Listen, I've heard around school that some students have gone missing here," he glanced over to the building, "Would you happen to know anything about it?"

Alexis scowled, "What's it to you, ponytail?"

"Just curious..."

"Well, you can stay curious!" Alexis snapped, "Those students and how they disappeared aren't for your amusement. So just mind your own business!"

Gerard blinked in confusion as the Obelisk marched off, 'Okay...well, I dunno what her problem is, but I do know this: I'm not giving up. I'm gonna get this story," he pulled out a small camera and began taking pictures as he wandered into the building.

* * *

><p>The next morning, everyone met at the main arena, eager to watch the duel-off tournament. Soon Crowler stepped onto the stage, "It's time, duelists, to find out who will be representing our illustrious Duel Academy in the annual school duel!" the crowd cheered, "for our first match, introducing first from the Ra dorm, Bastion Misawa!" Crowler waved to one side showing the Ra Yellow genius, "and then from Slifer..." he waved over to the other side to Jaden, "some...kid."<p>

"Here we go..." Jaden greeted, "Good luck, pal!"

"I appreciate the sentiment," Bastion smiled, "but with the deck I've prepared, I don't need luck."

"Heh, we'll see about that!"

* * *

><p>"Go, Jaden!" Syrus called from the stands, "This is what you trained for! ...or didn't."<p>

"Stop being a worrywart," Rock said sitting close nearby, "Can you name one time this guy's disappointed anyone?"

* * *

><p>"It'll be instincts versus intelligence here," Zane greeted, taking a spot over the back rails next to Alexis.<p>

"I guess. Who cares..."

"Hm?" Zane looked aside to her, not expecting what just came from her, "Alexis?"

The Obelisk student seemed to return to reality after realizing what she said and did a double-take, "I mean, yeah, this will be something...!"

* * *

><p>Jason ran across the dirt road trying to make it to the main school building. He's now wondering if he should get a digital alarm clock later. When he made it towards the entrance, before he could get inside however, the entrance became blocked.<p>

"I knew you Slifers aren't exactly punctual but this has to be a new low!" one of the Obelisk student snapped. Seeing his fellow Obelisk asleep he shook him awake.

"Huh, wha?" the woke Obelisk shot up, "I knew you Slifers aren't exactly-"

"We just went through that."

"Huh? Really?"

"Outta my way, boys!" the Obelisks moved aside and from the entrance way came Xiki Nomura, the last person Jason wanted to run into.

"I just wanted to go inside," Jason said, "Could you please let me pass?"

"Such a gentleman," Xiki scoffed, "You need to try harder to convince me to move. Why don't you let me duel you."

From past experience, Jason knew nothing ever came good from anything involving Xiki, "Why?"

"How about because I wanna relieve some boredom, or because I said so. Pick one. On the other hand, you can always turn around and stay home; but then you'll be missing your big duel," it's true, if Jason doesn't make it to the arena when he's called, he might be disqualified, "So what's it gonna be?" whatever she's up to, Jason doesn't have time to argue. Besides, a duel is better that trying to force himself through and getting knocked to the ground. So he strapped on his duel-disk, "That's better."

* * *

><p>"Now," Crolwer raised his arms, "without any further ado..."<p>

"Get you game on, Bastion!"

"You're on, Jaden!"

**Bastion: 4000**

**Jaden: 4000**

"Alright, first move," Bastion started, "I summon (1) Carboneddon(4/ATK: 900/DEF: 600) in DEF mode!" a gray, metallic dinosaur knelt to the field (DEF: 600), "That's all for now."

"A brand new deck and Carboneddon is all you can bust out?" Jaden said and started his turn, "Hey, whatever works for ya. Now I play Burstinatrix in ATK mode!" the red-clad heroine appeared (ATK: 1200).

'Mh. Just one turn and already Jaden has half the equation to create his favorite monster, the Flame Wingman,' Bastion thought, "Off to a good start there."

"Yeah, sure am. And I've got news for ya, it only gets better. Burstinatrix, attack!" Burstinatrix shattered the carbon-based monster with a burning right hook, "Next I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn," a reverse-card appeared.

"You don't waste any time. I like that," Bastion drew his next card, 'Here it is, the one card that will win me this duel. But first...' "I'm going to summon (2) Oxygeddon(4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1600) in ATK mode," a large pterosaur formed of a green gaseous substance appeared (ATK: 1800), "And now, Oxygeddon, attack!"

"Think again! I got a trap, Hero Barrier!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, "With this card, if I have an Elemental Hero on the field, I can negate your monster's attack once," a barrier of blue light blocked the dinosaur's blast, "Sorry Bastion, but Burstinatrix isn't busted just yet!"

"Well played, Jaden. Of course, I'd expect no less." Bastion then looked down at his hand, 'Still, when I activate this card, it won't matter how well you play.' "I'll go ahead and place this face-down. That's all"

"Alright then," Jaden drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman in ATK mode!" the gold-and-blue electric hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And then I'll activate the equip-spell Spark Blaster; and equip it on Sparkman!" a high-tech firearm appeared him Sparkman's right hand, "Now I change the battle-mode of any monster on the field. And the one I have set on Sparkman's sights is Oxygeddon! Now he has to switch into DEF mode" a current of electricity shot into Oxygeddon that forded it into DEF position (DEF: 800), "And now Burstinatrix can take him out. Go, Magma Comet!" Burstinatrix formed a large ball of fire and hurled it at the defending monster. But instead of destroying it, the fire enveloped Oxygeddon.

"Whoops. Looks like someone has forgotten their chemistry, no?" Bastion smirked, "See, fire and oxygen, they don't mix, Jaden. So when Oxygeddon is destroyed in battle by a fire-attribute or a pyro-type monster, it doesn't just take a toll on my life-points, but on yours as well," the monster exploded in a blast of fire that covered over the entire field and beyond.

**Bastion: 3200**

**Jaden: 3200**

"Sweet move," Jaden complimented, "You monster's ability cost us both there. But I'd do it all over again. Know why? 'Cause now your field's empty; which means my Sparkman can attack you directly!" Sparkman shot another stream of electricity form his empty hand on Bastion.

**Bastion: 1600**

**Jaden: 3200**

* * *

><p>"Zane was right about that boy," Sheppard admitted as he watched the match, "He's quite the duelist."<p>

"It's true, we teach our Slifers well, when they don't ditch class," Banner chuckled.

But as opposed to most of them enjoying the show, Crowler was panicking, 'Why did I open my big mouth and nominate Bastion for this match?! He's getting creamed, I'm getting humiliated, and worst of all, Jaden's looking better than ever!'

* * *

><p>After going over the conditions, both Xiki and Jason drew their starting hand.<p>

**Jason: 8000**

**Xiki: 8000**

"I'll be starting things off," Xiki drew her sixth card, "And first I'll activate the spell card Spellbook inside the Pot. With this, we both can draw three new cards from our deck. You should thank me for my generosity," both players drew three cards, "Next comes another spell, Painful Choice. Let me use small words so even you can understand: I choose five cards from my deck, and then you get to pick which one I can add to my hand. All the other cards, they get sent to the graveyard. Now here's the cards I choose from Painful Choice!" Xiki pulled out five cards which came to life face-up in front of Jason.

Seiyaryu

Serpent Night Dragon

Darkblaze Dragon

Luster Dragon #2

B. Dragon Jungle King

Each of those cards don't look like they can be used right away since they all have high levels, and all but one of them are normal monsters. So Jason decided to pick the one least useful to her, "Serpent Night Dragon!"

"Thanks for the extra card," Xiki said as she discarded the remaining for and added the card to her hand, "Now I play yet another spell card. I think you'll recognize it..." she pulled the card from her hand and showed it to Jason as Polymerization, waiting for the Slifer to gasp after a few moments, "And I think you know what happens next. I fuse five dragon from my graveyard together through Polymerization!" into the vortex went Totem Dragon, Vanguard of the Dragon, Spear Dragon, Spirit Ryu and Serpent Night Dragon. In their place stomped out a massive dragon with five various serpentine heads. Jason head rose as he stared up at the colossal five-headed dragon (ATK: 5000), "This is the first time you two were properly introduced. Meet my almighty Five God Dragon! If you're lucky you'll have plenty of time to spend together. So I'll place one card face-down before ending my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'I remember that dragon from the last time she used it. But there is something I can use to get rid of it...' "I activate Polymerization and send Elemental Heroes Poison Rose and Voltic from my hand to the graveyard to summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two heroes merged into the bulky-armored earth hero (ATK: 2200), "And when Gaia's summoned, I can cut the ATK points of one of your monsters in half while Gaia's ATK points increase by the same around!" Gaia created a large fissure that attacked the dragon from below.

Five God Dragon: (ATK: 2500)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 4700)

"Elemental Hero Gaia, attack!" Gaia charged and rammed its fist into the dragon. But instead of it being destroyed, the dragon stood its ground as Gaia retreated.

**Jason: 8000**

**Xiki: 5800**

"You didn't think my Five God Dragon became the most powerful monster just by ATK points, did you?" Xiki scoffed, "My dragon has a special-ability that allows him to withstand nearly any attack. That means he can't be destroyed by monsters of FIRE, WATER, EARTH, WIND or DARKNESS!"

'So that means...only light-attribute monsters can destroy it,' Jason groaned silently, "I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn," the set monster appeared.

"Then it's back to me," Xiki drew her next card, "And now time for Five God Dragon to show how to really destroy a monster!" the dragon's head fired a variety of streams that came together at the point where Gaia was vaporized.

**Jason: 5200**

**Xiki: 5800**

"That was quicker than I expected. I'll end my turn for now."

"C'mon, Xiki! Hit'em with everything ya got!" one of the Obelisks cheered.

"Yeah, chalk up another loss for those slackers!" another added.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'If attacks don't work, that leaves card-effects. But I have to hold out until I can do it...' "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

* * *

><p>"Hey, sorry there, Bastion. Guess it's back to the drawing board if you want to beat my deck."<p>

"No, Jaden, I think not. You see, I've already beaten it. Now it's simply a matter of showing all of my work." 'And a matter of getting Jaden to use the card that will let me enact my master plan...' "So, let's get back into the fray, shall we?" Bastion drew his next card, "I'm going to summon (3) Hydrogeddon(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1000) in ATK mode," a four-legged dinosaur formed of a muddy-brown liquid appeared (ATK: 1600), "Now, Hydrogeddon, attack Burstinatrix!" Hydrogeddon sprayed at Burstinatrix a blast of muddy water and destroyed her.

**Bastion: 1600**

**Jaden: 2800**

"Next I'll activate Hydrogeddon's ability. You see, whenever he destroys a monster in battle, it allows me to summon another Hydrogeddon. And I happen to have one right here in my hand," a copy of the same monster appeared (ATK: 1600), "And now I'll play the equip-spell Living Fossil. I can now summon one monster from my graveyard, so long as I equip it with this. And the monster I'll bring back is Oxygeddon. Rise again, old friend," the pterodon returned (ATK: 1800), "Of course, fossil lowers his ATK points and cancels his special-ability (ATK: 800), but it's worth it."

* * *

><p>"Yeah. Now He's got three monsters!" Syrus said.<p>

"And a strange smirk," Chumley added.

* * *

><p>"Now it's gets good. I activate the spell card Bonding H2O! You see, Jaden, when I bond two Hydrogeddons and one Oxygeddon, they do the exact same thing that two hydrogen bonded with one oxygen do: they become water; or in this case, the all powerful (4) Water Dragon(8ATK: 2800/DEF: 2600)!" the three monster completely merged until their components became pure water, in the form of a giant sea-serpent (ATK: 2800).

"That's not good..." Jaden stared at the dragon.

* * *

><p>"That's one impressive monster," mused Sheppard.<p>

"Yes, and one impressive move," Banner nodded, "My, this'll be tough," Pharaoh mewled in agreement.

Crowler was in a giggling fit seeing this change of tables, 'I knew it was a good idea to nominate Bastion for this match. He's looking magnificent, I'm looking brilliant, and best of all, Jaden looks like a complete fool!'

* * *

><p>While everyone was watching the duel, Gerard decided to make his move as he made his way to the school, 'Those kids must be caught up in that duel by now. That gives me enough time to get that story without any distractions...' but when he got close enough to the entrance, he saw a group of Obelisks gathered. He his one of the stone carvings near the path so no one could see him, "Just my luck; those guy must really like dueling," he muttered. Gerard took a closer look at the duel and saw who's playing, "It's that other kid; the one who's supposed to be my roommate. And what a surprise, it looks like he's losing..."<p>

"Five God Dragon, attack that face-down card!" the dragon vaporized the set monster, revealed to be a Phantom Magician.

"When Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle, I can special-summon an Elemental Hero with 1000-or-less ATK points from my deck, and I choose Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000).

"In that case, I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization back into my hand," he pulled the spell card from his graveyard slot and added it into his hand, "Next I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in ATK mode," the jetpack-wearing hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And when this monster is summoned, I can add another Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand," he removed Ocean from his deck, "Next I activate Polymerization and fuse Elemental Hero Stratos from my field with Elemental Hero Heat from my hand to summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" the two monsters merged and the caped wind hero appeared (ATK: 2800), "And when Great Tornado is summoned, the ATK and DEF points of every monster on the opponent's side of the field are halved!" Great Tornado summoned a giant cyclone from under the five-headed dragon (ATK: 2500).

"So you managed to bring my dragon down to your level," Xiki scoffed, "Doesn't matter. You still can't destroy it."

"I activate the magic card Scroll of Bewitchment and equip it to Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" Jason said, "It changes the attribute of the equipped monster and the attribute I choose is LIGHT! Elemental Hero Great Tornado attacks!" Great Tornado shot a pair of cyclones from his shoulderpads and destroyed the dragon.

**Jason: 5200**

**Xiki: 5500**

"I can't believe it!"

"Yeah, no one's ever beaten that kind of dragon before!"

"So why is is that Slifer just did?!"

"I end my turn," Jason concluded.

"You didn't think it was over, did you?" Xiki drew her next card, "I still have plenty of dragons waiting in the wings and all of them are just as dangerous as the last. But first I activate the special-ability of the (8) Totem Dragon(2/ATK: 400/DEF: 200) sleeping in my graveyard! During my standby-phase when I have no monsters out, I can summon it directly to the field!" an ornate, turtle-shaped dragon appeared with an elongated neck (ATK: 400), "And here's another special-ability Totem has: he counts as two sacrifices when summoning a dragon-type monster. So now the level-8 (11) Felgrand Dragon(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2800) becomes a level-4, which makes it much easier to summon!" the dragon that Xiki summoned was large with metallic-gold scales and a silver underbelly (ATK: 2800),"I end my turn there. Let's see you handle this monster!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the quick-play magic card Rush Recklessly and increase Great Tornado's ATK points by 700 (ATK: 3500). Attack!" Great Tornado fired another round.

"Activating Burst Breath!" Xiki opened her reverse-card, "Before Felgrand Dragon leaves the field, he destroys every monster on the field whose DEF are weaker than his ATK points!" Felgrand Dragon fired a widespread stream of flames that destroyed Woodsman and Great Tornado.

Jason silently cursed himself as his field laid empty, "I end my turn..."

"It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "And I summon (9) Decoy Dragon(2/ATK: 300/DEF: 200) to the field!" a small, light-blue dragon appeared with sparkling large eyes (ATK: 300), "And without a monster on your field, he can attack you directly!" the dragon fired out a small fireball at Jason.

**Jason: 4900**

**Xiki: 5500**

"I think that's all for now," Xiki concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode," the merman hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "Ocean, attack!" Ocean charged with his staff ready. He struck at the small dragon, who flew out of the staff's path. Ocean looked towards the path Decoy Dragon only to face an open maw before being incinerated by fire. Jason eyes widened as he was looking at a large four-winged black-and-red dragon (ATK: 2400).

"I guess you've never seen a Decoy Dragon before. 'Cause of you had, then you'd know it's special-ability! Whenever another attacks this little guy in ATK mode, he makes way for another dragon that's level-7-or-higher and lets that dragon take the hit for him! And the monster I happened to choose was (10) Darkblaze Dragon(7/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1000)! And when its summoned, its strength doubles (ATK: 2400/DEF: 2000) making it stronger than Ocean! And it gets better: whenever Darkblaze Dragon destroys a monster in battle, that monster's ATK points go straight out of your life-points!" the dragon launched a ball of red flame that exploded near the Slifer.

**Jason: 3400**

**Xiki: 5500**

'So it doesn't matter how many times I attack Decoy Dragon, it'll just move behind a stronger monster and make me attack it!' Jason thought, realizing his mistake, 'Why didn't I expect this...?'

"You may not realize this, but this is something you and my Decoy Dragon have in common," Xiki snickered, "But unlike you, he's actually reliable!"

'I guess we all know how this is gonna end,' Gerald thought before sneaking away elsewhere, 'Well, no use hanging around here. I'm finding another way inside...'

* * *

><p>"It's your move now, Jaden," Bastion challenged, 'And if you plan to take on my Water Dragon, there's only one move you can make; and it's the one I've been waiting for...'<p>

"Well Baston, it's like they always say: 'When the going gets tough, the tough get going'. So here I go," Jaden drew his next card, "Sweet! Alright, you got one of your best monsters out, so allow me to summon on up one of mine! Now I may not know as much chemistry as you do, but I can still mix it up! Avian and Bubbleman, get ready to fuse with Sparkman to create the Elemental Hero Tempest!" the feathered hero and blue gadget hero joined Sparkman and were ready to merge with Polymerization, "Alrighty! fuse!"

"I don't think so, Jaden!" before his opponent can respond, Bastion opened his reverse-card, a counter-trap card, "Go, Trap card: Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell! Now by discarding one spell card from my hand, I can negate your spell card and destroy it!" Polymerization was then dissipated, and as a result repelled both Avian and Woodsman back into Jaden's hand, "And you can no longer use the card that was destroyed by this effect for the remainder of the duel!"

"Wait! I can't use Polymerization anymore?!"

"I'm afraid not. Which essentially means you can't use any of your fusion-monsters either. No Flame Wingman, no Thunder Giant, none of them!"

* * *

><p>"So he's gotta use Elemental Heroes without fusions?!" Rock exclaimed, "But that's like eating pizza without the pepperoni!"<p>

"Or grilled cheese without the cheese!" Chumley added, "You'd be taking out the best parts! It's just bread!"

"No fusion-monsters?!" Syrus gasped, "But that's how Jaden wins all his duels!"

* * *

><p>"Compute it any which way you like, Jaden, but the answer will always come out the same: this duel's over. You can't win!"<p>

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "Decoy Dragon and Darkblaze Dragon, attack him directly!" both dragons attack with their combined firebreath.<p>

**Jason: 700**

**Xiki: 5500**

"Now I sacrifice my Darkblaze Dragon for the spell Mystic Wok to add his ATK points to my life-points!" the dragon vanished and an emerald aura surrounded the Obelisk.

**Jason: 700**

**Xiki: 7900**

"I think I'll place this face-down that'll be it for now." Xiki concluded with a reverse-card.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy to increase both players' life-points by 1000."

**Jason: 1700**

**Xiki: 8900**

"Then I set one monster in DEF mode," a set monster appeared, "and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "I play my face-down card, Foolish Revival. And what it does is summon a monster back from the graveyard!" Jason stood in bewilderment when Elemental Hero Ocean appeared in DEF mode (DEF: 1200), "Being monsters from your graveyard summoned to your field. You can thank me later. I'll just place one card face-down and end my turn," a reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "And during my standby-phase I can add one Elemental Hero from my graveyard to my hand..." he added Woodsman back to his hand.

"And while we're on the standby-phase I figured I activate this face-down card, Battle Mania!" Xiki's reverse-card opened. And suddenly, both of Jason's monsters were switched to ATK mode, including the Elemental Hero Flash Jason had face-down (ATK: 1100), "I can tell your monsters are itching for a fight; 'cause Battle Mania forces them both to ATK mode! And on this turn Battle Mania's played, they'll have to attack, you know, just to get it out of their system."

'Then even if I attack Decoy Dragon, it'll just summon another one and have me attack it! I just need a stronger monster...' "I activate the magic card Fusion Recovery and return Polymerization and a monster card from my graveyard to my hand," Jason returned the fusion card along with Elemental Hero Heat, "Next I activate Polymerization and fuse Elemental Heroes Ocean and Heat to fusion-summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two heroes merged to form the stronger ice-armored hero (ATK: 2500), "Absolute Zero, attack!" the hero charged towards the baby dragon.

"Are you trying to be clever or something? My Decoy Dragon's ability activates! Now another, more powerful dragon rises from the grave to do battle! And this time, it'll be my Felgrand Dragon!" the gold-and-silver dragon returned (ATK: 2500), "And with him, another special-ability! Whenever Felgrand Dragon is summoned from the graveyard, he brings with him a little extra boost! He gains power from another monster in my graveyard, 200 points for each of its level! And no other monster is perfect that my level-12 Five God Dragon!" Felgrand Dragon screeched as it empowered with the five-headed dragon's strength (ATK: 5200), "And that's just enough to wipe out your hero and your life-points!"

* * *

><p>"I summon...Elemental Hero Avian in DEF mode..." the feathered avian hero appeared (DEF: 1000).<p>

"Face it, Jaden, with your fusion-monsters neutralized and my Water Dragon about to strike, you and your monsters are about to be all washed up!"

* * *

><p>"I can't watch..." Syrus whined.<p>

It's not all bad," Chumley assured, "Jaden's still got more life-points..."

* * *

><p>'C'mon, Jaden...' Alexis prayed, "fight back!"<p>

"Well, perhaps we underestimated Bastion," Zane smirked, "He's been playing this like a pro. After all, with just one card, he's all but disarmed Jaden's deck."

"C'mon. He's just taken away Jaden's ability to use fusion-monsters, that's all."

"But that might be enough. Fusion monsters are how Jaden wins all his duels."

* * *

><p>"My go!" Jaden continued, "And I'm gonna switch Sparkman to DEF mode (DEF: 1400). And I'll leave it at that."<p>

"Not much to do when you've been stripped of the ability to use your favorite monsters, eh, Jaden?"

"Wrong," Jaden shook his head, "There's loads to do like finding a new plan. It'll be tough, but I'm up for it. And then, Bastion, It'll be all the sweeter; when I win!"

"Yes, 'when you win'. Well, we have nothing if not our dreams then I supposed, however farfetched," Bastion then drew his next card, "Now let's get on with the duel, shall we, Jaden! I summon the (5) Mathematician(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 500) in ATK mode!" in a puff of pink smoke. a short, bearded man appeared wearing scholar robes and thick glasses (ATK: 1500), "You see, when this is summoned, I must send one card from my deck to my grave," Bastion then pulled a card from his deck only to dump in in his graveyard, "But then, if Mathematician happens to be destroyed in battle, I can take a card from my deck and add it to my hand. Of course, none of that is very pressing right this moment. What with my Water Dragon ready to surge into action!" at those words, Water Dragon fired a stream of water that washed Sparkman off the field, "And now, Mathematician attacks your hero Avian! Number Cruncher!" the scholar fired a ray of numbers at Avian and destroyed him.

* * *

><p>"Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse!" Syrus whimpered.<p>

* * *

><p>"I activate the trap card Spiritual Water Art!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "By releasing a water-attribute monster on my field, it randomly discards a card from the opponent's hand!" Absolute Zero vanished, leaving nothing for the dragon's blast to target, while Xiki was forced to discard from her hand, "And when Absolute Zero leaves the field, all monsters on the opponent's field are destroyed!" both dragons were encased in ice before shattering to pieces, leaving Xiki's field empty, "And now Elemental Hero Flash will attack directly!" Flash unleashed bolts of electricity from his fingertips.<p>

**Jason: 1700**

**Xiki: 7800**

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode," the wood-limbed hero reappeared (DEF: 2000), "Then I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason concluded.

Xiki looked down at the cards in her hand, 'I can't believe I let that Slifer take out my Stamping Destruction card! I could've used that spell to have my dragon destroy one of his spell/trap cards and deal 500 points of damage as a bonus!' she then stared down her opponent, 'I guess there's no use crying over spilled milk. Beside, as much as I want to put another humiliating loss on his record, stalling him until the duel-off's over works for me just as well,' she couldn't help but snicker, 'Let's just hope he doesn't lose too soon,' "It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "I'm bringing back Felgrand Dragon using Monster Reborn!" the card she activated allowed the gold dragon to return to the field (ATK: 2800), "And just like last time, he gains 200 ATK points per level from a monster in my graveyard, like my Five God Dragon (ATK: 5200)! Now my dragon's ready to attack your hero Flash!" the dragon unleashed another multi-colored stream.

"I activate the trap card Windstorm of Etaqua!" the dragon's maw snapped shut while fighting against the windstorm Jason's opened reverse-card created. Both the dragon and Flash lowered to DEF mode while Woodsman rose to ATK mode, "It switches the battle-position of every monster on the field!"

"Fine! I'll just place this face-down and end my turn!" Xiki concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "And during my standby-phase, I add Polymerization from my deck to my hand. Next, I switch Woodsman back to DEF mode," Woodsman knelt back down (DEF: 2000), "Then I place one card face-down and end my turn," a reverse-card appeared.

"Then it's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "And now my Felgrand Dragon attacks your hero Flash! And while I'm at it I activate the trap Dragon's Rage!" her reversed continuous-trap opened, "Now all my dragons can deal damage in battle no matter what position your monster's in!" Felgrand fired another blast.

"I activate the quick-play magic card Unity!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "Now all of the DEF points from all the monster on my field go to Elemental Hero Flash (DEF: 3600)!" both Woodsman and Flash stood together, but after the attack only Woodsman remained.

**Jason: 100**

**Xiki: 7800**

* * *

><p>"Well, my turn's done, Jaden," Bastion concluded, "So if you still plan on beating me, feel free to go ahead and do your worst."<p>

"You bet I will," Jaden grinned, "Because my duel is just startin'!"

"Is it?"

"Yep, you see, we're different: you make all your moves at home, while I make mine on the field!"

* * *

><p>"That's right!" Syrus chimed.<p>

"Yeah, Jaden plays with his gut!" Chumley added, "Kinda like how I think with mine!"

* * *

><p>Alright, where were we?" Jaden drew his next card, "First, I gonna summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in ATK mode!" the water-gadget hero appeared (ATK: 800), "Now when I summon Bubbleman, if I have no other cards out, that's a good thing. Know why? Cause it means I get to draw two cards..." Jaden then drew two cards from his deck, "And one of them, I'll play right now: the equip-spell Bubble Blaster! This lets Bubbleman gain 800 ATK points!" Bubbleman took a knee as he became outfitted with a large water cannon over his shoulder (ATK: 1600), "And now, Bubbleman, attack!" Bubbleman fired a flurry of bubbles that burst on contact with Mathematician and destroyed him.<p>

**Bastion: 1500**

**Jaden: 2800**

"Well played," Bastion complimented, "But since you destroyed Mathematician, his ability activates, allowing me to draw one card."

"Yeah yeah, but it's still my turn. Now I'm gonna throw down 2 face-downs! Next, I'm gonna play the spell card Mirage of Nightmare!" the continuous-spell appeared on Jaden's field along with the two reverse-cards, "And then I'll call it a turn. See, I'm no one-trick-pony. You take away my fusion-monsters and, well, I'll just come right back at ya with something else, 'cause it's not about the fusion, Bastion, it's about the monster and mine are raring to go!"

"I'm sure," Bastion scoffed, "But the fact of the matter is, Jaden, your most powerful monsters are not. When will you accept that dueling is nothing more than a numbers game; a numbers game that I have calculated effectively and you have not. Your defeat is imminent, Jaden!" he then drew his next card, "Now my draw!"

"And with it the effect of my spell Mirage of Nightmare's activates!" Jaden interrupted, "'Cause of this card's effect, during your standby-phase I'm allowed to draw, and keep drawing until I have 4 cards!" he drew four new cards, then opened one of his reverse-cards, "And now I reveal my face-down card, Emergency Provisions!" he waved off to one of his reverse-cards that opened, "Now allow me to explain how it works, Bastion. by sending 1 spell or trap on my field to the grave, I gain 1000 life-points! So adios, Mirage of Nightmare!" the continuous-spell vanished.

**Bastion: 1500**

**Jaden: 3800**

* * *

><p>"Quite impressive," Zane said, "He switched his strategy and he's still playing well."<p>

"Yeah but, can he keep it up?" Alexis wondered.

* * *

><p>"You're simply postponing the inevitable. Your deck is a problem that's already been solved."<p>

"You're wrong!"

"Perhaps this will convince you then! I activate spell card Pot of Greed from my hand! Due to its effect, I draw two cards!" Bastion drew two more cards, "Furthermore, there are now ten cards stacked on top of Carboneddon in the graveyard. But he can handle the pressure. In fact, he thrives on it! Because now, due to the immense gravitational force of Carbongeddon, he changes into diamond, and that lets me activate its special-effect," after removing the monster from his graveyard, he placed another card on his duel-disk, "By removing this card from play, I can now summon Hyozanryu(7/ATK: 2100/DEF: 2800), the diamond dragon!" a a large, unihorned dragon made completely of white diamond appeared on Bastion's field (ATK: 2100), "Now, Hyozanryo, attack Bubbleman! Diamond Devastator!" the dragon fired a stream of diamond shards that struck Bubbleman's weapon, shredding it to scrap.

"Whoopsie, Bastion. When a monster with Bubble Blaster is beaten in battle, it's the blaster that gets destroyed, not the monster!"

"But now that's your blaster's gone, what will protect you from the Water Dragon!?" Bastion pointed out to Jaden's field, "Tidal Blast!" the sea-serpent once again fired another stream of water that washed away Bubbleman, the current continuing to crash against Jaden.

**Bastion: 1500**

**Jaden: 1800**

"Go, trap card: Hero Signal!" Jaden opened his reverse-card and a light signal representing their trademark shone outside the field, "This activates when one of my monsters is destroyed. Now Bastion, I can summon a monster with 'Elemental Hero' in its name from my deck or from my hand! And I choose Elemental Hero Clayman!" the clay-armored hero appeared (DEF: 2000).

"My, you just won't give up will you, Jaden? You certainly are one stubborn duelist."

"Thanks, Bastion. At least I think that was a complement..."

"I'll end my turn with a face-down." Bastion concluded.

* * *

><p>"Just great. I couldn't find any other way inside," Gerald muttered as he kept walking through the island. Eventually he ended up back near the entrance, "And I'm back where I'm started! And it looks like the duel's still going on. I wonder what's taking so long?"<p>

"When Flash is destroyed in battle, I can remove it form play with 3 more Elemental Heroes in my graveyard to add a normal-magic card from my graveyard to my hand," Jason returned Rain of Mercy to his hand.

"And with that I end my turn," Xiki concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy again!"

**Jason: 1100**

**Xiki: 8800**

"Next I activate Polymerization and fuse Woodsman on my field with Ice Edge from my hand to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" both monsters merged to form the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "Then I place one card face-down and end my turn," a reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "Now my Felgrand Dragon will attack your Elemental Hero!" Felgrand fired another stream.

"I activate the trap card Reverse Trap!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "This changes all increases to decreases!" the card's spirit holding a giant 3x-sized racket, which he used to swat the dragon's attack back to the sender. The attack hit the dragon hard.

Felgrand Dragon: (ATK: 0)

And with the dragon weakened, Nova Master formed a large ball of fire and tossed it at Felgrand Dragon, destroying it in the process.

**Jason: 1100**

**Xiki: 6200**

"Not a problem! I'll just activate the spell Premature Burial!" Xiki played the equip-spell into her duel-disk, "By paying 800 life-points I bring back one monster from the graveyard and equip it with this card!" a large circular seal was etched onto the ground before the golden dragon rose back up and returned standing on it.

**Jason: 1100**

**Xiki: 5600**

"There's no use hiding it; I've seen you duel and I know your deck," Xiki said, "But unlike you I'm no one-trick-pony. Sure, you may have destroyed my precious Five God Dragon, but a real duelist always have what you might not heard of, a contingency plan!"

'Hold up a few! Did she just say she had a Five-Headed Dragon card? And that kid over there took it out?' Gerard whistled, 'He must be something else...'

"That's the problem with you Slifers, whenever you got rid of a powerful monster you think it's all smooth sailing from there, don't you! That's when an opponent with actual skills has the advantage! We always make sure we have a back-up plan ready, even though we rarely use it! And for me this plan comes in the form of my Felgrand Dragon! Even if you're able to defeat it I'll just bring it back to the field, stronger than ever as it bring with it 200 ATK points for each level from a monster in my grave! And since Felgrand's effect activates when its resurrected, is 200-point boost is magnified by the level of the Five God Dragon in my graveyard (ATK: 5200)! Lets see you take another shot."

'I think I see her strategy,' Gerard thought, 'She can let him destroy it over and over and keep reviving it, making him use up his best cards each time. I bet she let him destroy that Five-Headed Dragon just to do this. And the more time he destroys that dragon, the harder it makes it for him the next time around. I gotta say that girl's got the perfect trap and the kid fell for it, hook, line and sinker.'

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'If I can't find something to hold back that dragon, it could attack next turn!' he then looked down at his card, 'This could work...' "I activate the magic card Swords of Revealing Light!" a series of glowing swords lowered around Xiki's field, including her dragon, "I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Xiki drew her next card, "I equip Felgrand Dragon with the spell card Ribbon of Rebirth!" a large blue sash appeared over Felgrand's shoulders, "So even if you try to destroy my dragon, my ribbon will just bring it back and the whole thing will start all over again! That ends my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, 'This card might help, but Xiki might use that dragon again if I use it now. But I don't see any other options...' "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

* * *

><p>"Here goes!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell, The Warrior Returning Alive! With this card's effect, I can take one warrior-type monster from my grave and add it straight to my hand. And I'll pick Bubbleman; and summon him to the field!" he added the monster back to his hand and through there he returned to the field (ATK: 800), "Then, I activate the the card Bubble Shuffle! With this, I can change Bubbleman's and one of your monsters from ATK mode to DEF mode!" both water-based monster switched battle-positions.<p>

Elemental Hero Bubbleman: (DEF: 1200)

Water Dragon: (DEF: 2200)

"Oh, and when I sacrifice Bubbleman while he's in DEF mode, I'm allowed to summon any monster with 'Elemental Hero' in its name from my hand. And guess what, Bastion, that's exactly what I'm gonna do! Bubbleman, move over for Elemental Hero Bladedge!" Bubbleman left the field to make room for the massive, golden-armored hero (ATK: 2600).

* * *

><p>"Those fusion-monsters may be Jaden's best..." Zane let out a small smirk, "but that thing is a close second."<p>

"And this should be a close match-up," Alexis added.

* * *

><p>"Aw, Jaden, what are you doing?!" Syrus debated, "that Bladedge only has 2600 ATK points! That's not enough to beat that Water Dragon!"<p>

* * *

><p>"It is, when I use this..." Jaden opened his field-spell slot and fed it one of his favorite cards, "The field-spell, Skyscraper!" the field soon became surrounded by a series of tall buildings that would've blocked the view if not for the fact they were transparent holograms.<p>

"Now when a monster with 'Elemental Hero' in its name attacks, if it has less ATK points than your monster, it gains 1000 points! Now go, Bladedge! Attack Water Dragon with Slice 'n Dice attack!"

Elemental Hero Bladedge: (ATK: 3600)

Bladedge flew across the street and rammed its arm-blades through Water Dragon, destroying the sea-serpent, "Now Bladedge's ability activates: see if he attacks a monster in DEF mode, and if he has more ATK points than your monster's DEF points, well then, the difference is dealt directly to you as damage!"

**Bastion: 500**

**Jaden: 1800**

"Well, my dragon has a special-ability too. For you see, Jaden, when Water Dragon's destroyed, I can summon one Oxygeddon and two Hydrogeddons from my graveyard!" Bastion's three original-component dinosaurs returned to the field in DEF position, "Next I activate the trap card, Last Magnet!" after Bastion opened his reverse-card, a huge weight dropped down on Bladedge, forcing him to squat down as he held it just enough to keep him from getting crushed, "This activates when one of my monsters is destroyed. Then, it equips itself on to the monster responsible for the destruction, and causes it to lose 800 ATK points!"

Elemental Hero Bladedge: (ATK: 1800)

"Yeah, well Clayman can still clobber at peak performance, especially with Skyscraper still out on the field (ATK: 1800)! Now, attack Oxygeddon with Clay Clobber!" Clayman charged and crashed against the pteradon, destroying it.

* * *

><p>"Oh wow, this is one very liscious duel." Chumley said.<p>

"And it's not slowing down." Syrus added.

* * *

><p>"Good show, Jaden."<p>

"I do what I can."

"Alright, it's my turn," Bastion drew his next card, "From my hand I activate the spell, Litmus Doom Ritual! Now from my field and hand, I must sacrifice a total of eight stars worth of monsters, and then I can summon (6) Litmus Doom Swordsman(8/ATK: 0/DEF: 0)!" a sparking monument rose to the field replacing the two Hydrogeddon. Soon a warrior appeared wearing a tunic and red cape, carrying two swords in hand (ATK: 0), "Doom Swordsman isn't affected by traps, nor can he be destroyed in battle. Essentially, he's invincible. Also, when there happens to be a trap card out on the field, just as Last Magnet is right now, his ATK and DEF points become 3000!" large amounts of glowing red energy emanated from the weight and traveled into Litmus Swordsman (ATK: 3000/DEF: 3000), "So now, Litmus Doom Swordsman, give Bladedge a taste of your steel!" the swordsman bounded over to Bladedge and, with a few quick swipes, destroyed the golden hero. Without Bladedge, Last Magnet left the field and the swordsman's power with it (ATK: 0/DEF: 0).

**Bastion: 500**

**Jaden: 1600**

"Well done. Now Hyozanryu, make me just as proud and attack Clayman! Diamond Devastator!" the dragon fired another stream of shards that chipped Clayman into nothing.

**Bastion: 500**

**Jaden: 1300**

"There's more. Next I play from my hand the mighty spell card, A Wingbeat of Giant Dragon!" Bastion activate his spell card and the diamond dragon began hovering over the field, beating hard with its wings to keep off the ground, "Now, by returning one level-5-or-above dragon-type monster from my field back to my hand, all spell and trap cards on the field are destroyed, which means Skyscraper is now demolished!" Jaden could only watch as Hyozanryu's wings sent powerful gusts of wind to tear down the city before it left the field, "Finally, I'll end with a face-down."

* * *

><p>"Aw ma, this is bad!" Syrus groaned, "Jaden's lost his monsters, and his field-spell card! He's defenseless out there!"<p>

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "I activate the spell Dragon's Gunfire to deal 800 points of damage! Not even your swords then hold back this attack!" Felgrand Dragon fired a flaming ball from its mouth.<p>

**Jason: 300**

**Xiki: 5600**

"I end my turn there."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Xiki drew her next card, "It's time to kiss those swords of yours goodbye! I activate the spell Harpies' Feather Duster! This card destroys every spell and trap card on your field!"

"I activate the cards Spell-Shattering Arrow and Spiritual Fire Art!" Jason opened his reverse-cards, "The quick-play magic card destroys every spell card on the opponent's field and inflicts 500 points of damage for each one! And by releasing a fire-attribute monster, Spiritual Fire Art inflicts damage equal to that monster's ATK points!" Nova Master became engulfed in flames as a series of glowing arrows appeared around him. Both he and the arrows charged on through the barrier of swords and into the dragon, who went screeching before leaving the field.

**Jason: 300**

**Xiki: 1500**

* * *

><p>"Well I'll tell ya, Bastion, I don't think I've ever hand a more fun duel..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Glad you think so!" Syrus yelled out.<p>

* * *

><p>"I've enjoyed it as well, Jaden, and we'll continue to...especially when I beat you!"<p>

"Actually, I'm ending this now! Here goes!" Jaden drew his next card, "Sweetness! I'm gonna summon a new Elemental Hero, and here he is: (7) Elemental Hero Wildheart(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1600)!" a dark-skinned, muscular man appeared with a sword strapped on his back (ATK: 1500).

"A new one? Well, he won't make much of an impression. I activating a trap, Spirit Barrier!" Bastion opened his reverse-card, "Now, as long as I have a monster on the field, Spirit Barrier will change any battle-damage against me down to zero!"

"Nuh-uh! Traps don't work on Wildheart!"

"Is that so? Well, I supposed it's a good thing they still work on my swordsman, then. Remember, when a trap card's out, his ATK points go up (ATK: 3000/DEF: 3000)!"

* * *

><p>"They sure do; all the way to 3000," Syrus moaned, "Now good..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Nah, it's all good. 'Cause I play Cyclone Boomerang! And I'll equip this spell card onto Wildheart, raising his ATK points by 500!" Wildheart was given a large steel boomerang that spun in from absolutely nowhere (ATK: 2000).<p>

* * *

><p>"But so what? He's still short a thousand!" Syrus argued.<p>

"Yeah, what gives?!" Chumley demanded.

* * *

><p>"You'll see what gives when this boomerang makes its return trip!" Wildheart tossed the boomerang, causing it to spin at high speeds towards Litmus Doom Swordsman. But it wasn't enough to penetrate the Spirit Barrier as it deflected the weapon, sending it back to sender faster than Wildheart could catch it and destroyed himself.<p>

**Bastion: 500**

**Jaden: 300**

"Perfect! Now I play Boomerang's effect! See, when this card and the monster equipped with it are sent to the graveyard, all spell and trap cards on the field are automatically destroyed. And for each one destroyed, you take 500 points of damage!" Bastion looked on as the boomerang came right back and cut through his Spirit Barrier card before hitting Bastion himself. Without the card the barrier cracked and shattered around him.

**Bastion: 0**

**Jaden: 300**

Cheers erupted as the monsters and spells left the field and both duelists deactivated their duel-disks.

* * *

><p>"I guess what it came to Jaden Yuki, Bastion miscalculated..." Zane mused.<p>

"I guess, or maybe some strategies you can't solve..." Alexis agreed.

* * *

><p>"Way to play, Jay!" Syrus cheered.<p>

"Now that's how Slifers duel!" Rock said.

* * *

><p>"Indeed," Bastion agreed as he approached his opponent, "You beat me fair and square, Jaden; rather, you beat this deck," he held up the products of his failed experiment, his cards, "But you can be assured that there will be another."<p>

"And another duel," Jaden nodded, "'til then!"

Bastion smiled and brought his hand out, which Jaden slapped and shook it as he smirked back.

* * *

><p>"I guess that's one duel down," Sheppard said, "Let's get straight to the next one."<p>

* * *

><p>"Will Jason Hutchins please report to the main arena in five minutes," an announcement came from the outside loudspeakers, "Failure to comply will result in disqualification."<p>

'That not good...' Jason thought.

"Hear that? You got five minutes left to get inside!" Xiki said, "Better hurry, slowpoke!"

'I'll never get inside with those brats blocking the entrance,' Gerard thought, 'I guess if you want something done right...' "HEY!" his shouting got the Obelisks' attention as it turned to the over-aged Slifer dancing in place, "Try picking on someone you own size! Wait, that's not right... Hey, I heard you guys sleep with a night light!"

"Get 'im!" the Obelisks chased after Gerard while the older Slifer ran off.

"Hurry up and finish the duel!" Gerard shouted as he led the Obelisk mob away.

"Oh! Right it's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in ATK mode!" the female flame hero appeared (ATK: 1300), "Attack her directly!" Lady Heat swung an arm and a small wall of fire shot right in front of Xiki's feet. As she nealy kept from tripping over from the sudden surprise, Jason was already passing her towards the entrance.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Xiki exclaimed, "We're not done here!"

**Jason: 300**

**Xiki: 200**

"Lady Heat's effect activates at the end of my turn!" Jason called out, "She inflicts 200 points of damage for every Elemental Hero on my field!"

Putting that in mind Xiki turned back around just in time to double over from the fireball thrown by lady heat before vanishing herself.

**Jason: 300**

**Xiki: 0**

* * *

><p>Jason ran as fast as he could carry himself until he found the entranceway to the main arena. He made a sharp turn around the last corner and dashed madly into the large area, not stopping until he made it over the steps. He doubled over and took that moment to taking a fresh supply of air.<p>

"Well, I'm glad to see you decided to show up," Crowler said as he stood on the side of the arena, "Barely... Now then, let us begin the second round of our Duel-Off!" the crowd cheered for another match, "On one corner, representing Slifer Red, ...well, no one important. Moving on to the opposition!"

'I wonder who my opponent is...' Jason stood back up straight to see who he'd be playing against. But when he got one good look, he stopped breathing...

"With an absolute grade-point average and an unblemished winning streak to match, she represent the prestigious Obelisk Blue with unorthodox dueling skills! Put your hands together for the one and only Chakra Silvers!"

Standing in front of the Slifer Red student at the other end of the field was his Obelisk companion and adviser. Chakra greeted him with a solemn yet embarrassed smile as she shrugged, "Sorry, I kept it from you, but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"I have you duel you...?" Jason asked.

"Guilty as charged. Now..." Chakra turned on her duel-disk, "Time to see how much you've improved..."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Carbongeddon**

**Stats: [Dinosaur/Effect] Level 4 ATK/800 DEF/600**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: If this card battles a FIRE monster, during damage calculation: This card gains 1000 ATK, during damage calculation only. You can banish this card from your Graveyard; Special Summon, from your hand or Deck, 1Level 7 or lower Dragon-Type Normal Monster in face-up Defense Position. You can only use this effect of "Carboneddon" once per turn.**

**(2) Oxygeddon**

**Stats: [Dinosaur/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1800 DEF/800**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle with a Pyro-Type monster and sent to the Graveyard, inflict 800 damage to both players.**

**(3) Hydrogeddon**

**Stats: [Dinosaur/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1600 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: WATER**

**Effect: When this card destroys a monster your opponent controls by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 "Hydrogeddon" from your Deck.**

**(4) Water Dragon**

**Stats: [Sea-Serpent/Effect] Level 8 ATK/2800 DEF/2600**

**Attribute: WATER**

**Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by the effect of "Bonding - H2O". While this card is face-up on the field, the ATK of FIRE monsters and Pyro-Type monsters become 0. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 2 "Hydrogeddons" and 1 "Oxygeddon" from your Graveyard.**

**(5) Mathematician**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] Level 3 ATK/1500 DEF/500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned: You can send 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can draw 1 card.**

**(6) Litmus Doom Swordsman**

**Stats: [Warrior/Ritual/Effect] Level 8 ATK/0 DEF/0**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: This card can only be Ritual Summoned with the Ritual Spell Card, "Litmus Doom Ritual". This card is not destroyed as a result of battle and is unaffected by the effects of Trap Cards. As long as there is a face-up Trap Card on the field, the ATK and DEF of this card become 3000.**

**(7) Elemental Hero Wildheart**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] Level 4 ATK/1500 DEF/1600**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: This card is unaffected by Trap effects.**

**(8) Totem Dragon**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] Level 2 ATK/400 DEF/200**

**Attribute: WATER**

**Effect: This card can be treated as 2 Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a Dragon-Type monster. If this card is in your Graveyard during your Standby Phase and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card in Attack Position. You cannot activate this effect if there are any monsters in your Graveyard that are not Dragon-Type. If this card is Special Summoned with this effect, remove it from play when it is removed from the field.**

**(9) Decoy Dragon**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] Level 2 ATK/300 DEF/200**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: When this card is selected as an attack target by your opponent's monster, select 1 Level 7 or higher Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard, Special Summon it and switch the attack target to that monster.**

**(10) Darkblaze Dragon**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] Level 7 ATK/1200 DEF/1000**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: When this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, its ATK and DEF increase to become twice its original ATK and DEF. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster.**

**(11) Felgrand Dragon**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] Level 8 ATK/2800 DEF/2800**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: This monster cannot be Special Summoned except from the Graveyard and only if it was sent there from the field. When this card is Special Summoned, select 1 monster in your Graveyard. This card gains ATK equal to the Level of that monster x 200.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	27. Tryout Tournament: Part 2

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

* * *

><p>While everyone else was preoccupied, Gerard decided to find whatever information he needed for his task.<p>

"Alright, while everyone's distracted on this duel, I'll be able to get more dirt on those missing kids..."

He soon found his way into the school library. Once there he sat in front of one of the computers and linked a handheld device before turning it on.

* * *

><p>It was the beginning of the second match and Jason was already nervous. He never knew that the person he has to duel was his own mentor, "I have to duel you...?"<p>

"Sorry, I kept if from you 'til now," Chakra said with a small sheepish smile, "But if it means anything, no one else knew about it either. I asked to keep my participation a secret before the duel actually starts. I hope you understand."

"I guess so."

"Then that leave only one more thing," Chakra activated her duel-disk, "So, are you ready?" Jason replied by turning on his own duel-disk, "I'll take that as an answer. Now let's duel!"

* * *

><p>"I thought I'd see this sooner or later, but not sooner." Syrus said.<p>

"Yeah, I wonder what kind of deck Chakra uses..." Chumley wondered.

* * *

><p>"I just knew Chakra would be the mystery duelist for Jason!" Mindy chimed, on the stands next to Jasmine, "Who else would wait until the last minute to reveal himself?"<p>

"I don't know why she decided to do what she did," the red-headed Obelisk sighed, "All I'm concerned about right now is how long Jason would last this time..."

* * *

><p>"It's always hard to tell whether Jason would win or lose," Alexis mused, "Who knows how this will turn out."<p>

"It's not all that mysterious," Zane said, "No matter who the duelist is, it always comes down to who has the best strategy. This duel will be no different."

* * *

><p><strong>Chakra: 4000<strong>

**Jason: 4000**

"I hope you don't mind, but ladies first!" Chakra drew her sixth card, "I'm starting off with a monster called (1) Thunder King Rai-Oh(4/ATK: 1900/DEF: 800)," a mechanical blue torso appeared with tesula coils protruding from where the limbs would be, "And what's special about this card is that as long as this monster's out on the field, you can't use any card-effects to add cards from your deck! Finally I place three cards face-down," three reverse-cards appeared, "Let's see how much you learned."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his sixth card, "I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat in DEF mode!" the female flame hero knelt onto the field (DEF: 1000), "Then I place one card face-down and end my turn. And during the end-phase of my turn, Elemental Hero Lady Heat inflicts 200 points of damage for each Elemental Hero on my side of the field," Lady Heat threw a small fireball which Chakra blocked with her duel-disk.

**Chakra: 3800**

**Jason: 4000**

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I summon (2) Emperor Sem(4/ATK: 1300/DEF: 2200) in DEF mode," a fiendish winged jackal with a ghostly lower half appeared (DEF: 2200), "Next I attack with Thunder King Rai-Oh!" the machine fired a bolt of lightning that destroyed Lady Heat, "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Voltic and end my turn," the violet-armored hero appeared (DEF: 1500).

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "Rai-Oh, attack Voltic!" the thunder king fired another bolt and destroyed Voltic, "Next I set one more card face-down to end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode!" the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "Next I activate the magic card Rose Bud! By sending Elemental Hero Knospe on my field to the graveyard, I can special-summon Elemental Hero Poison Rose from my hand!" a large flower closed over Knospe and opened once again, revealing Poison Rose in her place (DEF: 2300).

"When you special-summon a monster my Thunder King Rai-Oh's second ability activates!" a cloak of electricity began surrounding Rai-Oh. The machine then charged at Poison Rose before there was a wide flash. When it died down, Rai-Oh and Poison Rose was nowhere to be seen, "By sending Rai-Oh to the graveyard, that special-summoned monster goes with it!"

* * *

><p>"Chakra's certainly selected a good monster to start this duel off," Bastion approved by himself, "Now only could the Thunder King Rai-Oh's power forbids the opponent to obtain additional cards through special methods, it can also destroy any one monster brought forth through special-summoning, both of which Jason relies on."<p>

* * *

><p>"I end my turn..." Jason concluded.<p>

"Then it's my turn!" Chakra drew her next card, "I activate the continuous-spell card Deck Lockdown! So for the next two turns, neither of us can add card from our deck outside of using our draw-phase. Next, I set one monster in DEF mode," a set monster appeared, "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Element Saurus in ATK mode," the bronze-scaled dinosaur appeared (ATK: 1500), "Next I equip him with Scroll of Bewitchment and change his attribute to FIRE!" the dinosaur screeched as its spines blazed on fire (ATK: 2000), "I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I place one card face-down in my field-spell card zone. That ends my turn."

* * *

><p>"Face-<em>down<em>? But why would she do that?" Syrus wondered.

"Don't know..." Chumley shrugged.

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode," the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Element Saurus, attack!" the dinosaur fired a stream of fire towards the set monster.<p>

"I activate my trap card, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" Chakra opened her reverse-card and a makeshift scarecrow made of scrap metal appeared, "Once this card's activated, it negate's your monster's attack!" the sculpture blocked the flames in their path, "And here's something that separates this card from any other effect that blocks enemy attacks: I can place it back face-down to use again for another turn!" the scarecrow retreated back to the card which was then lowered back to its previous position.

* * *

><p>"A trap card she can use every turn?!" Syrus gasped, "Where'd she get that?!"<p>

"I don't know, but I do know one thing," Jaden said, "that scarecrow can scare off whatever monster Jason attacks with!"

"Regularly a normal-trap moves to the graveyard after it's intended use," Bastion said, "but her Scrap-Iron Scarecrow surely took us by surprise."

* * *

><p>"That's our girl!" Mindy cheered, "Always having a new trick up her sleeve!"<p>

"That doesn't exactly surprise me," Jasmine shrugged, "I mean, she is one of the best duelists in our dorm."

* * *

><p>"I end my turn..." Jason concluded.<p>

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "And during my standby-phase, the effect of Deck Lockdown runs out and gets sent to the graveyard," the continuous-spell vanished, "Then I place one card face-down to take its place," another reverse-card appeared, "Next, I activate the field-spell I had face-down: the spell know as Silver Dungeon!" the moment Chakra flopped over her spell card, the floor below them began to shimmer, taking in the properties of reflective metal. The duel arena now became pure silver, where the playing field itself became surrounded by a diameter of tall silver columns, "Next, I summon the Morphing Jar that I had face-down. And due it its effect we both have to discard our entire hand and replace it with a new one of five cards," after the face-in-a-jar appeared, both Chakra and Jason discarded their hand and drew five new cards, "And with that done I sacrifice Morphing Jar to summon (3) Iris, the Earth Mother(6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1200)," the jar vanished and was replaced by a lovely blond-haired woman , the white sleeves and collar dressed as large violet petals and a series of large grass blades draped behind her from her collar (ATK: 2400), "That allows Emperor Sem's special-ability to activate: when I summon a monster by sacrificing, both of us can select one card from our respective graveyard and place it at the top of our deck," both players added to their decks, "That's all I'll do for this turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Polymerization to use Elemental Heroes Ocean and Lady Heat to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two monsters merged from Jason's hand to form the ice-armored hero (ATK: 2500), "Next, I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode," the flame-attribute hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And while Heat is on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for every Elemental Hero on my side of the field (ATK: 2200). Absolute Zero, attack Iris the Earth Mother!" the ice hero charged in to attack.

"Since you summoned a monster, I'll activate my face-down cards Ultimate Offering, Chain Healing and Chain Detonation!" Chakra opened three of her five reverse-cards, "And now their effects will activate in a chain-reaction!"

* * *

><p>"Here it comes!" Mindy squealed.<p>

* * *

><p>"Chain-reaction? What's that mean?"<p>

"It's a means of countering cards to form a Chain," Bastion answered for Syrus and others, "And by the cards she just played, she's planning to make good use of it."

* * *

><p>Chain Detonation: Chain Link 3<p>

Chain Healing: Chain Link 2

Ultimate Offering: Chain Link 1

First Chain Detonation deals you 500 points of damage, and then I get 500 extra life-points from Chain Healing!" after Jason withstood a blast from Chain Detonation. The Chalice from Chain Healing tipped over and poured its contents over Chakra.

**Chakra: 4300**

**Jason: 3500**

"When a chain of 3-or-more link has activated, Iris the Earth Mother allows me to draw another card," Chakra drew a new card from her deck, "And that's not all; my Silver Dungeon field-spell also goes into effect!" three of the columns near Jason suddenly shot out a chain each. After wrapping themselves around Absolute Zero's wrists and waist, the reeled him in and left him pulling against the columns, "Each of those chains your Absolute Zero's caught in represent a Chain Counter, which attach to a monster for every chain-link that occurred beforehand, draining 100 ATK and DEF points from that monster (ATK: 2200/DEF: 1700). And while the monster has a Chain Counter attached, it can't be used to attack or be sacrificed. After the effects of Chain Healing and Chain Detonation, since they were played as chain-links lower than four, I can shuffle them both back into my deck," Chakra added the two trap cards into her deck, "So, you were saying..."

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason concluded with a reverse-card.

* * *

><p>"If I can just crack this password, I'll be able to access all of Duel Academy's student files..." Gerard waited until the device finally broke through the password and the school's main computer appeared in front of him. There he opened the section where the school's files were and read through the first of the students' info, "Atticus Rhodes: studying abroad on special sabbatical..." he then moved to the next one, "This one's gone, too...and so's this one... And him, and her..." after reading through most of the files, he found one thing in common, "But there's no forwarding address. I don't buy that. These must be the missing students. And the academy must be trying to covering it up. I smell a front-page scandal; plus a major payday for the reporter who breaks the story," he snickered as he copied the files into his device and started on his way to leave the island, "Thanks for the scoop, Duel Academy. And good luck surviving all the bad publicity!"<p>

* * *

><p>"It's my turn now," Chakra drew her next card, "I summon (4) Malice Ascendant(4ATK: 700/DEF: 1000) to the field," a ghoulish-looking skeleton appeared wearing tattered black clothes and a small scythe in each hand (ATK: 700), "Next I activate the continuous-trap effect of Ultimate Offering, which lets me summon an extra monster by paying 500 life-points each, as many times as I can. So I'll be activating Ultimate Offering's effect twice back-to-back!"

**Chakra: 3300**

**Jason: 3500**

"And to add to that chain, I also play from my hand Chain Strike! And on my field I activate the trap Accumulate Fortune!" Chakra placed the spell in the slot before flipping over her reverse-card.

Accumulate Fortune: Chain Link 4

Chain Strike: Chain Link 3

Ultimate Offering: Chain Link 1&2

"My trap Accumulate Fortune can only be played as a chain-link of at least four. But It lets me draw two new cards." Chakra drew twice, "And don't forget my Chain Strike spell. It deals 400 points of damage times the number it represents in the current chain. And since it's played as a chain-link of three, you take 1200 points of damage!" a series of chains shot out of the card and struck through Jason.

**Chakra: 3300**

**Jason: 2300**

"And after that chain I get to draw one more card thanks to Iris' effect, as well as add four more Chain Counters since it was a chain of four cards," Chakra drew once more, and four ropes of chain sprouted and ensnared Elemental Hero Heat (ATK: 1800/DEF: 800), "Now for my monsters. For my first additional summon, I'll choose Blast Asmodian!" the red explosive-throwing fiend appeared (ATK: 1000), "And for my second, I sacrifice my Malice Ascendant to summon (5) Vanity's Fiend(6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1200)!" the skeleton was the replaced by a tall man with long red hair wearing a black cloak over him. A facial tattoo can be seen on his left side (ATK: 2400), "As long at this monster's present on the field, no monsters can ever be special-summoned!"

* * *

><p>"So that's her mainstream strategy. Chakra has managed to bring out a card for each of Jason's strength," Bastion nodded, "With her Thunder Kind Rai-Oh, she prevented Jason from searching his deck so she can buy enough time to gather the cards she needed. And with the presence of Vanity's Fiend, all future special-summons are forbidden, making Jason's more powerful fusion-monsters beyond use. Thanks to her field-spell Silver Dungeon, every monster ensnared with its effect are prevented from being sacrificed, which makes his Spiritual Art traps practically useless."<p>

"Y'know, we have eyes too," Rock groaned, "We don't need a constant monologue."

* * *

><p>"And since Vanity's Fiend was summoned by a sacrifice, Emperor Sem's ability activates," both duelists added a card from their graveyard to their deck, "Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in DEF mode," the flowerbud hero returned (DEF: 1000), "And end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I activate the effect of Ultimate Offering and use it's effect twice, in the meantime I play my face-down Mystical Wind Typhoon and from my hand the spell Chain Strike!" the continuous-trap flashed along with the opened quick-play reverse-card and the card from Chakra's hand.

Chain Strike: Chain Link 4

Mystical Wind Typhoon: Chain Link 3

Ultimate Offering: Chain Link 1&2

"And working their way back, the chain-effect activates! First, since Chain Strike's activated as a chain-link of four, you take 1600 points of damage!" another series of chains sprouted and lashed out at Jason.

**Chakra: 2300**

**Jason: 700**

"Next down the line is Mystical Wind Typhoon, which destroys one spell/trap card on your side of the field!" a wild cyclone shot out from the card and carried off Jason's first reverse-card, destroying the Spiritual Wind Art card, "And with that done, all that's lets is Ultimate Offering! But before I get to my monsters, I activate the abilities of Iris and Blast Asmodean! Both of their effects were triggered by my recent chain-reaction, so they get to activate as a chain as well. And first is Blast Asmodian's ability, dealing 500 points of damage after each chain!" the field threw a small explosive which exploded at Jason's feet.

**Chakra: 2300**

**Jason: 200**

"Then Iris the Earth Mother lets me draw one card from my deck," Chakra drew her card, "And let's not forget Silver Dungeon's effect! Now I add four Chain Counters to your Elemental Hero Knospe!" four ropes of chain constricted the flowerbud hero (ATK: 200/DEF: 600), "Unfortunately, I'm only allowed to use this effect once per turn, so my most recent chain doesn't count."

* * *

><p>"Her strategy has certainly gotten Jason in a bind in more ways than one," Bastion said, "With Vanity Fiend making himself known on the field, all future special-summons are now null and void, forcing Jason to summon one monster at a time while Chakra can summon as many monsters necessary with Ultimate Offering; a card she's proven extremely useful with her overall chaining tactics."<p>

"Must every single observation have to mention how tight in a bind Jason's in?!" Rock argued, "We are all looking at the same match!"

"I'm just pointing out the fact of the situation. What with Silver Dungeon trapping a monster after each Chain, and the fact I mentioned earlier about Jason unable to sacrifice those monsters-"

"You're doing it again!" Rock snapped, "Please stop talking!"

* * *

><p>"Last I checked, Jason counts on those kind of cards for his duels!" Mindy said, "I don't know how he's even gonna get out of that..."<p>

"You say it like he stood a chance to begin with," Jasmine shrugged, "Oh well, the only thing to do now is watch and wait for Chakra to win."

* * *

><p>"I think this duel is about to reach a conclusion." Zane said.<p>

"I can see that," Alexis agreed, "Especially with Emperor Sem letting Chakra reuse any card from her graveyard, it's a safe bet what that card's gonna be..."

"And unless Jason could do something about it, then this will be the last turn he'll have."

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Gerard was strolling through the hallway ready to leave this school, "Now that I have records of those missing students, I'll be able sell this story for a fortune," he smirked, "Sure the scandal will probably ruin Duel Academy buy, oh well."<p>

_"You're old."_

_"Hey, no worries, it cool."_

_"Hey, old-timer, you okay?"_

_"Hey, Skyscraper! You like that card too?"_

Regardless, he began remembering the short time he spent with that kid Jaden.

'That kid! Why can't I just forget about him?!' Gerard soon walked through the open archway where he heard sounds of cheering. Curious, he walked through the door and out into a large, stadium-like room. And right in the middle was a duel, "How 'bout that. This must be that duel those Slifers wanted me to see; the one that was supposed to change my life," he smirked he then spotted one of the players out, "And it looks like _this_ Slifer's losing."

* * *

><p>"That's it, Chakra! Show that Slifer Slacking Sludge who's boss!" Crowler grinned from ear to ear and pounded on the arena platform. Show him that he doesn't belong in the School Duel!"<p>

* * *

><p>"My, Pharaoh. This does not look good." Banner petted his cat who mewed in response.<p>

* * *

><p>"Now I can finally get to my monsters. With my two extra summons I can summon two Malice Ascendants to my field!" two more of the ghoulish skeletons appeared (ATK: 700x2), "But that doesn't mean they'll be staying on the field, because with my original summoning, I sacrifice both Malice Ascendants to summon Lightning Punisher!" the two skeletons vanished to make room for the masked lightning-bender (ATK: 2600), "And with another monster summoned that way Emperor Sem's ability activates!" both duelists added to their decks, "And after placing one card face-down, I end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "First I activate the effect of Elemental Hero Woodsman: I add Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand!" he pulled the spell card from his graveyard slot, "Next I activate the quick-play magic card Reload! I return all the card to my deck, shuffle it, and draw the same number of cards!" Jason took out his deck and added it to his cards, settling down to shuffle them before rising up to put it back, 'I need something to help me stay in this duel! Whatever I can get, I need it now...!' After taking a good long look at his deck, he drew three new cards, "I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy! now both players receive 1000 life-points!" a drizzle of rain fell for a moment over the field.

**Chakra: 3300**

**Jason: 1200**

"Next I activate the magic card Gift of the Martyr! With it I can send one monster on my field to the graveyard and add its ATK points to another monster on my side of the field. And the monster I choose is Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" Absolute Zero left the field, leaving nothing for the chains to grasp to. Its frozen power was then inherited into Element Saurus (ATK: 4000), "And when Absolute Zero is removed from the field, all monsters on the opponent's side of the field are destroyed!" all five of Chakra's monsters became encased in blocks of ice before shattering into pieces.

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in ATK mode!" the jetpack-wearing hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "When Elemental Hero Stratos is summoned, I can destroy a magic or trap card for every other Elemental Hero on my side of the field. And since I already have three other Elemental Heroes on my field, Woodsman, Heat and Knospe, I can destroy three magic or trap cards!" Stratos unleashed a pair of cyclones from his jetpack that blew away Chakra's reverse-cards, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow and Magic Cylinder, and destroyed them along with Ultimate Offering.

* * *

><p>"Look at that!" Mindy gasped, "He just cleaned off Chakra's field with just a couple of cards!"<p>

"Huh. So he actually pulled it off..." Jasmine shrugged, "I guess he realized if he wants to beat Chakra, he _really_ needs to work for it."

* * *

><p>"Not bad," Gerard smiled, "Since his monster couldn't attack, he added its power to another monster. And that in turn destroyed all of his opponent's other monsters," suddenly he did a double-take on what he just said, "Not that I care about this duel or anything. Anyway..." he was ready to walk off, but somehow wasn't able to...<p>

* * *

><p>"And with no more cards on your field, my Element Saurus is can now attack your directly!" the dinosaur roared and unleashed a stream of combined fire and ice. But something jumped onto the field and took the full force of the attack.<p>

"When you attacked, I activated (6) Swift Scarecrow(1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0) from my hand to summon him to the field," Chakra explained, "And once it's summoned the battle-phase ends right then and there."

"Then I'll end my turn," Jason concluded.

"It's my turn now," Chakra drew her next card, "I combine Card of Sanctity with the quick-play spell Chain Strike. And since Chain Strike's at chain-link 2, you take 800 points of damage!" another series of chains again struck Jason.

**Chakra: 3300**

**Jason: 400**

"After that, Card of Sanctity restore each of our hands to six cards," both Chakra and Jason drew until the each held six cards, "After that comes Silver Dungeon's effect!" two ropes of chain ensnared Element Saurus by its maw and waist (ATK: 1800/DEF: 1000), "Next, I summon (7) Grass Phantom(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) in DEF mode!" a plump green-faced plant with nub-like skin appeared (DEF: 1000), "Finally I place two cards face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand. Next I activate Polymerization and use Elemental Hero Heat and Element Saurus to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the hero and the dinosaur merged into the armored flame hero (ATK: 2600), "Now Elemental Hero Stratos attacks Grass Phantom!" Stratos fired a pair of cyclones from his jetpack.

"I activate my face-down cards Generation Shift and Next to be Lost!" Chakra opened her two reversed trap cards, "My trap card Next to be Lost sends a monster from my deck to the grave so long as it has the same name as a monster on my field. As for Generation Shift, it destroys a monster my field and lets me add a monster with the same name as the monster I destroyed. I choose Grass Phantom!" the fiendish plant left the field, and Chakra pulled two more copies from her deck, one to keep and the other to send to her graveyard, "And since they're both card were activated at once, the effect of Silver Dungeon activates!" two more ropes wrapped around Nova Master's arms and pulled him back to the columns (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1900).

"Stratos attacks Swift Scarecrow!" Stratos' cyclones destroyed the scarecrow, "Then I place 3 cards face-down and end my turn." three reverse-cards appeared.

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I summon another Grass Phantom to the field," another copy of the plant appeared (ATK: 1000), "And as long as this monster's out, it gains 500 ATK points for each Grass Phantom in my graveyard. And since I already have two there, that's 1000 points," the plant grew to three times its size (ATK: 2000).

* * *

><p>"So it came to the position where her first strategy has been bested, so she had an alternative for just such case. Even when she's using another unorthodox strategy very few had ever performed, it makes it even more impressive."<p>

* * *

><p>"Now, Grass Phantom, attack Elemental Hero Stratos!" the giant plant sprouted out several tendrils and lashed then towards Stratos.<p>

"I activate my trap card Enchanted Javelin!" Jason opened one of his reverse-card, and a decorated spear appeared in Stratos' hands, "When this card is activated, I gain life-points equal to the ATK points of the attacking monster!" Stratos stood his guard with the spear in front of him, but was unable to prevent the plant monster's tendrils from destroying him.

**Chakra: 3300**

**Jason: 2200**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Chakra concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization back to my hand. Next I activate Polymerization to fuse Elemental Hero Knospe and Nova Master to summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two monster were freed from their chains and the armored earth hero appeared in their place (ATK: 2200), "And when he's summoned, one of your monsters are cut in half!" Gaia punched into the ground and sent a shockwave towards Grass Phantom.

"I activate the trap card Karma Cut!" Chakra opened her reverse-card and a vortex appeared over Gaia, "By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, one of your monsters are removed from the game!" Gaia was then pulled into the vortex before it closed from existence.

"I summon Elemental Hero Flash in DEF mode, and end my turn..." Jason concluded with the lightning-based hero (DEF: 1600).

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I activate the spell card Foolish Burial. This allows me to take one monster from my deck and send it to the graveyard," she pulled a monster out to discard, "Next, I sacrifice Grass Phantom to summon Divine Dragon-Excelion!" the plant vanished from the field to be replaced by a large serpentine dragon with white scales (ATK: 1500), "When this dragon is summoned to the field, it gains a different special-ability for each monster that shares its name that's in the graveyard. One in which I discarded to activate Karma Cut, and the other I discarded with Foolish Burial. One of Excelion's special-abilities increases his ATK power by 1000 points!" the shoulders as well as its mane began burning with an intense blue flame (ATK: 2500), "Now, Excelion, attack his Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the dragon unleashed a powerful blue flame at Woodsman.

"I activate the trap card Shift!" Jason opened his reverse-card, and Flash moved in front of Woodsman, where he was destroyed in place of the wood-limbed hero, "Now you monster's attack destroyed Elemental Hero Flash instead. And when Flash is destroyed in battle, I can remove from play that monster, along with 3 more Elemental Heroes in my graveyard to add one magic card from my graveyard to my hand," after removing Heat, Stratos and Ocean along with Flash, Jason returned his spell card to his hand.

"It also triggers Excelion's second effect," Chakra said, "It can wage another attack whenever it destroys a monster in battle!" the divine dragon unleashed a another stream that destroyed Woodsman, "I place one more card face-down on the field, and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Fusion Recovery! This allows me to add Polymerization and a fusion-material monster from my graveyard to my hand! Next I summon Homonunculus the Alchemic Being!" the humanoid plant appeared (ATK: 1800), "Next I activate Polymerization to fuse Elemental Hero Lady Heat from my hand with Homonunculus the Alchemic Being to summon Elemental Hero the Shining!" the two monsters merged and the shining light hero appeared in their place (ATK: 2600), "And as long as he's on the field, he gains 300 ATK points for every Elemental Hero removed from play! I have 4 Elemental Heroes so he gains 1200 ATK points (ATK: 3800)! Elemental Hero the Shining, attack Divine Dragon-Excelion!" the blades hovering around Shining's large ring flew forth like swords and slain the divine dragon.

**Chakra: 2000**

**Jason: 2200**

"Then it's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I activate the spell Card of Demise!" she then proceeded to drawing a hand of five cards, "Now I draw until I hold five cards in my hand, so long as I send them all to the graveyard during my fifth standby-phase. Next I summon the Disciple of the Forbidden Spell in ATK mode!" the jar-toting swordsman appeared on the field (ATK: 1700), "And right before I activate his effect I'll counter it with my face-down trap, Chain Destruction!" Chakra opened her reverse-card, "This card destroys every monster that shares the name of the one I just summoned!" she then pulled two more copied to send to her graveyard, "And then we move on to my disciple's ability: when this monster is summoned, he gains a special-ability that automatically lets him destroy monsters of a certain attribute in battle, as many times as there are monsters sharing Disciple's name in the graveyard," the disciple drew out his two swords, one blade glowing a bright gold while the other an emerald green, "And the attributes I choose are LIGHT an WIND! Disciple of the Forbidden Spell, attack Elemental Hero the Shining!" the golden sword glowed even brighter as the disciple sprinted forth towards the hero and jumped right above him, descending with one single swing that destroyed him instantly, "And since The Shining was a light-attribute monster, it's automatically destroyed!"

* * *

><p>"Jason has nearly exhausted all of his most powerful monsters down to his Elemental Hero Great Tornado. With that Disciple of the Forbidden Spell in Chakra's possession, I'm certain she has this duel set."<p>

* * *

><p>"When Elemental Hero the Shining is sent to the graveyard, I can take 3 cards that I removed from play and add them to my hand!" Jason explained as he searched his pockets, "I choose Elemental Heroes Heat, Stratos and Ocean!"<p>

'This deck's holding up so far,' Chakra thought, 'I managed to counter most of Jason's usual tactics. Now Elemental Hero Heat's the only problem I'll have to deal with,' she looked down at her hand to a certain card, 'That and that face-down card. If it turns out to be the worst-case scenario, my plan'll be meaningless.' "I place one card face-down and end my turn." Chakra concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Pot of Avarice! I return 5 monster from my graveyard to my deck and shuffle it! The I draw 2 cards!" he shuffled five of his monster into his deck before drawing two more cards, "Next I activate A Hero Lives! By paying half my life-points when I have no monsters on my field, I can summon a level-4-or-lower Elemental Hero from my deck!

**Chakra: 2000**

**Jason: 1100**

So I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman!" the wood-limbed hero returned to the field (DEF: 2000), "Next I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the fire-attribute hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "Next I activate the magic card Hero's Bond and summon 2 more Elemental Heroes from my hand, Elemental Hero Stratos and Elemental Hero Ocean!" the jetpack-wearing hero (ATK: 1800) and merman hero (ATK: 1500) joined Heat, "And since there are 2 more Elemental Heroes on my field, Hear gains 400 more ATK points (ATK: 2200), "And since Stratos is summoned to the field, I can destroy as many magic and trap cards on the field up to the number of their Elemental Heroes on my field! But all I need to destroy is your face-down card and your field card!" Stratos rose up from the field and gusts of wind began to gather around him, eventually creating a massive hurricane that continued growing bigger.

"Then I'm countering Strato's ability with that same face-down card! Activate Threatening Roar!" Chakra opened her reverse-card and a massive shockwave deflected Stratos' wind, but was unable to stop it from chipping away the silver over the arena until not even the pillars were left, "Now this turn's battle-phase is automatically skipped!"

* * *

><p>"Heat's Jason's best chance of winning this!" Syrus said, "Now Chakra has a chance to turn the tables again!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy!" after Jason played the spell the field was once again drizzled with rain.<p>

**Chakra: 3000**

**Jason: 2100**

"I end my turn." Jason concluded.

"It's my turn," Chakra drew her next card, "I activate the spell known as Bait Doll! Now I can force the activation of one of your face-down cards! And if the timing of that card turns out wrong, then it's automatically destroyed! Now let's see what you've been hiding..." the spell came in effect and Jason's reverse-card began to rise, 'If I can disrupt the timing of that card, I'll be one step away to victory. Though I really hoped it wouldn't come to this...' "Now show yourself!" the card finally came to life and revealed its face, revealing as a trap card, "A trap card... But isn't that..."

* * *

><p>"I've never seen Jason use that card!" Syrus said.<p>

"I've never seen that card period!" Chumley added.

* * *

><p>"I think I've seen that card before!" Mindy said, "What's it called? Funny...furry... Oh, I can't remember! It's just too hard to pronounce!"<p>

* * *

><p>"It's name, on case you're wondering..." Bastion explained, "is pronounced 'Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan'."<p>

"Now that's a mouthful..." Rock muttered.

* * *

><p>"Though I knew it's what Jason's deck was built for I'd never thought he'd be the one to use that card." Zane admitted.<p>

"And now we get to see it in action." Alexis added.

* * *

><p>"I can only activate this card when there's a FIRE, WATER, EARTH and WIND monster on the field. It lets me pick from 4 different effects and activate it. And from one of them, I can destroy all the monsters on your side of the field!" Heat posed his hands out in front and formed a growing stream of fire which he launched into Chakra's field, incinerating her disciple.<p>

"I activate the Symbol of Heritage spell card!" Chakra pulled the equip-spell from her hand to her duel-disk, "This card works the same as Monster Reborn but with a price: any monster I plan to summon and equip to this card must have three-of-a-kind in the graveyard. So I'm bringing back Disciple of the Forbidden Spell!" the enchanted swordsman returned to the field, now fitted with a small winged pendant with three different colored pearls, "And just like before, my Disciple's swords can instantly destroy a monster with a certain attribute for each card in my graveyard sharing his name! So now I'll have his swords affect monsters of FIRE and WIND! Next I'll give my Disciple another accessory, the equip-spell Phalanx Pike!" the swordsman was now holding a pure-golden spear in his hands, "This gives my Disciple 900 additional ATK points for each monster in my graveyard that shares his name! So with two extra Disciples of the Forbidden Spell already in my grave, that's 1800 ATK points (ATK: 3500)! Disciple of the Forbidden Spell attacks Elemental Hero Ocean!" the disciple and the merman confronted each other, clashing their staves agaist each other. Eventually the disciple won in the end as he speared through Ocean and destroyed him.

**Chakra: 3000**

**Jason: 100**

"Finally I place one card face-down and end my turn." Chakra concluded, "Well, you have three monsters on your field and none of them can attack my Disciple. I'd only be a matter of time until I bring out something that can take the last of your life-points. Any ideas how to get past this monster?"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Giant Trunade!" upon playing the card, the wind suddenly picked up until a giant cyclone surrounded the playing field, "This card returns all the magic and trap cards on the field to the owners' hand!" the cards soon vanished shortly before the storm lifted. Chakra's field was now empty, including her monster, "Elemental Hero Woodsman, join Elemental Heroes Hear and Stratos and attack Chakra directly!" Woodsman rose to ATK mode and joined his fellow heroes in a barage of punches that knocked Chakra onto the floor.

**Chakra: 0**

**Jason: 100**

The audience soon rose with applause after that intense match.

* * *

><p>"Score two for the Slifer Dorm!" Rock whooped.<p>

"Jaden, you know what that means?" Syrus asked.

Jaden was grinning the most, "Yeah! Now we can finally have that rematch!"

* * *

><p>"Don't these slackers ever lose...?!" Crowler groaned and slid to the floor.<p>

* * *

><p>"How come I did not see this coming..." Alexis muttered.<p>

"I'm sure you're not the only one wanting this," Zane said, "Two Slifers. Two Elemental Hero duelists. I'm curious myself."

* * *

><p>"I had hoped for an outcome like this." Banner smiled.<p>

"To be honest, so had I," Sheppard said, "This final match will definitely be an interesting one."

* * *

><p>With the duel over, Jason was now able to breath again.<p>

"How do you feel now?" the Slifer heard Chakra ask him, "If you think about it, you've just outmatched one of Obelisk Blue's greatest duelist, and we have an entire stadium of witnesses to prove it. Don't you feel a little more confident?"

"I guess so... I think I have you to thank..."

"I'm glad to help," the silver-haired Obelisk smiled, "Besides, you can't have any doubts if you want to win your final match. I'm sure you know Jaden's not something to be taken lightly."

Jason's ears perked and his eyes wander over the audience. Jaden Yuki is his next opponent, another duelist with cards like his. The only thing he could think about was how this next match would turn out...

* * *

><p>"Well I guess that was interesting. Now..." Gerard turned and got ready to leave...<p>

**"There will be a 30-minute break between now and the final duel between Jaden Yuki and Jason Hutchins!"** the loudspeakers announced.

"...Maybe watching one more couldn't hurt."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Thunder King Rai-Oh**

**Stats: [Thunder/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1900/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: Neither player can add cards from their Deck to their hand except by drawing them. During either player's turn, when your opponent would Special Summon exactly 1 monster: You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard; negate the Special Summon, and if you do, destroy it.**

**(2) Emperor Sem**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1300/DEF: 2200)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: Each time you Tribute Summon a monster, each player can select 1 card from their Graveyard and return it to the top of their Deck.**

**(3) Iris, the Earth Mother**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: After a Chain with 3 or more Links resolves, draw 1 card. This effect cannot activate if multiple cards/effects with the same name were activated in that Chain.**

**(4) Malice Ascendant**

**Stats: [Zombie/Effect] LV: 3 (ATK: 700/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: During your opponent's Standby Phase, send 1 card from the top of their Deck to the Graveyard for each "Malice Ascendant" in your Graveyard.**

**(5) Vanity's Fiend**

**Stats: [Fiend/Effect] LV: 6 (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1200)**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned. Neither player can Special Summon monsters.**

**(6) Swift Scarecrow**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV: 1 (ATK: 0/DEF: 0)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack: You can discard this card; negate the attack, then end the Battle Phase (this is a Quick Effect).**

**(7) Grass Phantom**

**Stats: [Plant/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)**

**Attribute: WATER**

**Effect: This card gains 500 ATK for each "Grass Phantom" in your Graveyard.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	28. Tryout Tournament: Part 3

**Yugioh GX: Konami/Kazuki Takahashi**

* * *

><p>It's some time into the half-hour break. But instead of going out to eat or gossip, Jason was sitting by his lonesome at the edge of the arena, wondering on what to do next. He thought about when he first played against Jaden at the beginning of the year, where he lost. He was spending half of the time thinking where he did wrong and the other half wondering how to beat him this time. He was sure of one thing and that was to win, at least so more people would respect him. So maybe it's time to do some refiguring. He took out the extra cards he had on him and got to work...<p>

* * *

><p>"One more minute 'til showtime!" Rock said as he took his seat back, "I'm telling ya', I've been waiting for a match-up like this since I met 'em!"<p>

"Now that I think about it, Jason was challenged by Jaden at the beginning of the school year!" Syrus said.

"Yeah, challenged _and_ lost." Chumley said.

"Two Elemental Hero duelists with two different styles," Bastion said, "I gotta say I'm quite curious myself to see how this goes..."

* * *

><p>"One thing is for sure, this will be quite the interesting battle." Zane said.<p>

Alexis nodded, "You can say that again."

* * *

><p>"One thing is for sure, this will be quite the interesting battle." Aspen mused.<p>

"I don't know what's so interesting about it," Jasmine said, "We already know who's gonna win this duel."

"Oh, don't be so cold," Mindy said, "Jason got lucky before."

"That was then and this is now. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how this duel will turn out..."

* * *

><p>Principal Sheppard looked around across the stadium for someone, "Where did Crowler run off to? The duel is about to start."<p>

* * *

><p>Crolwer, on that note, was hiding under his deck, rocking in a fetal position.<p>

* * *

><p>"He probably went to the bathroom," Banner said, "Beside, we have someone else to referee the duel."<p>

Soon the loud shrill of a whistle caught the entire audience's attention.

"May I have your attention please," Anais announced, "The time for recess has run out so it is now time to continue with the duel-off tournament," the entire audience cheered, "Now to present the finalists both from Slifer Red, Jaden Yuki and Jason Hutchins."

* * *

><p>Chakra stood over the bleachers watching the two duelists enter the ring, 'Well, I guess this is it. Let's see how you do against another Elemental Hero duelist...'<p>

* * *

><p>"Now both of you come to the center to exchange and shuffle your decks," the two met each other in the middle to exchange their decks.<p>

* * *

><p>"I know it's just his way and all that, but he really should at least show some respect for other people's cards..." Jasmine grumbled.<p>

* * *

><p>After shuffling, they returned them and went back to their position, "And to reiterate, the winner of this duel will have the privilege to represent the academy in the annual School Duel. So let the final match begin!" Anais banged her staff onto the floor as emphasis for the duelists to start.<p>

"Hey, you and I both know this'll be a tough one for both of us so I'm gonna make this quick," Jaden activated his duel-disk, "Good luck!"

"Yeah..." Jason did the same.

**Jaden: 8000**

**Jason: 8000**

"I'll take the first move!" Jaden drew his first card, "Here goes! I activate the spell Polymerization! And fuse Clayman and Burstinatrix to form the Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster!" two heroes merged and the fully armored, cannon-mounted warrior appeared and knelt into DEF mode (DEF: 2500), "Then I'll end this turn with as face-down!" a reverse-card appeared, "You're up."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Fusion Sage. This card adds Polymerization to the player's hand. Next I activate the continuous-magic card Branch!" the spell came to life on the field, "Next I activate Polymerization and use Elemental Heroes Knospe and Lady Heat to summon Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two heroes merged into the massive armored earth hero (ATK: 2200).

* * *

><p>"Both of them are fusing right from the start," Bastion said, "I guess neither of them were planning on holding back."<p>

* * *

><p>"When Gaia is summoned, the ATK of one of the opponent's monsters are halved and Gaia gains the same amount." Gaia punched into the ground and formed a fissure in which Rampart Blaster fell inside.<p>

Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster: (ATK: 1000)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3200)

"Elemental Gaia, attack!" Gaia charged.

"I activate a trap card, Hero Barrier!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, and a fan-like shield spun in place and forced Gaia's attack back, "This card cancels an attack made on an Elemental Hero, even if that attack comes from one of its own!" the bronze-headed slifer shrugged, "Better luck next time!"

"I end my turn..." Jason concluded.

"Then it's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, I activate the spell card Fusion Recovery to add Polymerization and one of my monsters to my hand from my grave!" he added the two cards, "Next I'll use Polymerization over again! This time fusing Sparkman and Clayman to summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!" Clayman merged for a second time with the electric hero to form the giant electric-wielding warrior (ATK: 2400), "Now for his special-ability: by tossing out one of my cards, Thunder Giant destroys any monster you have who's original ATK points are lower than his!" Thunder Giant formed an amount of electricity in his hands before tossing it towards Gaia, destroying the earth hero.

"The effect of branch activates! When a fusion-monster on my field is destroyed, I can summon one of its fusion-material monster from the graveyard; so I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" the female fire hero appeared (DEF: 1000).

"Then I'll have Thunder Giant attack Lady Heat; with Voltic Thunder!" Thunder Giant fired an electric blast and destroyed Lady Heat, "And don't forget Rampart Blaster's attack! When she's in DEF mode, I can deal half her ATK points as damage! Rampart Barrage!" Rampart Blaster fired a series of rockets at the other Slifer.

**Jaden: 8000**

**Jason: 7000**

"Well, that's it for my turn!" Jaden concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode," the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Next, I equip him with the equipment-magic card Heart of Clear Water. As long as Woodsman is equipped with this card, he can't be destroyed in battle or any effect that targets a monster. I end my turn."

"My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the field-spell card Centrifugal Field!" he put the card into his field-spell slot, "That ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization back to my hand. Next I summon Homunculus the Alchemic Being!" the humanoid plant appeared (ATK: 1800), "Next I activate its effect and change its attribute to WATER!" the body of the monster shifted to a blue-liquid, "Next I activate Polymerization and fuse it with Elemental Heroes Ice Edge from my hand to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the liquid-based Homunculus merged with the ice-based hero from Jason's hand to form the ice-armored hero in its place (ATK: 2500), "Absolute Zero, attack Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!" Absolute Zero formed a sword made from ice and slashed into Thunder Giant, destroying the monster.

**Jaden: 7900**

**Jason: 7000**

"I end my turn." Jason concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell Pot of Greed, which lets me draw 2 more cards!" he drew two cards, "Next I activate Polymerization once more! This time I'm fusing Elemental Hero Heat and Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" the fire-attribute hero siblings appeared in the field shortly before they merged into the vortex.

* * *

><p>"Both Heat <em>and<em> Lady Heat?!" Syrus gasped, "I didn't even know he even had those!"

"Yeah! I wonder what they're gonna fuse into?" Chumley wondered.

* * *

><p>"With these two together I form the (1) Elemental Hero Inferno(8ATK: 2300/DEF: 600)!" in the heroes merged into a giant of tangible fire. He shared traits of both previous monsters, flame designs on his shoulders and helmet, and hands formed of molten rock as well as the core on his chest (ATK: 2300), "When Inferno attacks a monster with a water-attribute, he gains 1000 ATK points for that battle (ATK: 3300)!" the core on Inferno's chest glowed brightly before it unleashed an intense heatwave that erased Absolute Zero to the last molecule.

**Jaden: 7900**

**Jason: 6200**

"The effect of Branch activates when Absolute Zero is destroyed!" Jason announced, "Now I can summon Homunculus the Alchemic Being from my graveyard!" the humanoid plant returned (ATK: 1800), "And when Absolute Zero is destroyed, all monsters on the opponent's side of the field are destroyed!" both of Jaden's fusion-monsters were encased in ice before shattering.

"And when a fusion-monster on _my_ field's destroyed, the effect of _Centrifugal Field_ gets activated, letting me summon any one of my fused monster from my graveyard!" Elemental Hero Clayman returned to the field (DEF: 2000), "Alright. You're up."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect to return Polymerization to my hand. Next, I summon Elemental Hero Stratos in ATK mode," the jetpack-wearing hero appeared (ATK: 1800), "And when he's summoned, I can destroy as many magic or trap cards on the opponent's field for each Elemental Hero on my field!" Stratos fired a set of cyclones that tore through Jaden's Mirror Force, "Next, I activate Homunculus' effect and change its attribute to FIRE!" Homunculus became a living body of fire, "Next I activate Polymerization and fuse it with Elemental Hero Stratos, to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master!" the two monsters merged into the armored fire hero (ATK: 2600), "Nova Master, attack!" Nova Master's fist ignited as its punch destroyed Clayman, "And when he destroys a monster in battle, I can draw one card from my deck," he drew another card, "I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I'll play Wroughtweiler in DEF mode!" the robotic dog appeared (DEF: 1200), "And that's it for me!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect to add Polymerization back to my hand. Next I'll have Nova Master attack Wroughtweiler!" Nova Master destroyed Wroughtweiler, and in the process allowed Jason to draw another card.

"You know, when Wroughtweiler's destroyed in battle, I can add Polymerization and an Elemental Hero monster from the graveyard!" he retrieved his spell card along with Elemental Hero Sparkman.

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason concluded with a reverse-card.

"Then it's my turn," Jaden drew his next card, "I summon Bubbleman in DEF mode!" the blue gadget-equipped hero appeared (DEF: 1200), "And when Bubbleman's all by his lonesome, I get to draw 2 more cards!" he drew two extra cards, "Next I activate the spell card The Warrior Returning Alive to add a warrior-type monster from my graveyard!" the warrior in question became Elemental Hero Avian, "Next up's the spell Polymerization! That's right, it's fusion-time again and I'm fusing Bubbleman on my field with Avian and Sparkman from my hand to create the Elemental Hero Tempest!" all three heroes merged and formed the laser-equipped steel-winged storm-based hero (ATK: 2800), "Tempest, attack Nova Master!" Tempest fired a stream from his arm-mounted laser and destroyed Nova Master.

"The effect of Branch activates," Jason said as Stratos returned to the field (DEF: 300), "And when Stratos is summoned, I can add an Elemental Hero monster from my deck to my hand." Jason added Heat.

"I'm throwing down a face-down," Jaden concluded his turn, "That's it for this turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Polymerization and fuse Elemental Hero Stratos with Heat from my hand to summon Elemental Hero Great Tornado!" the two heroes merged into the tall turbine-equipped hero (ATK: 2800), "And when Great Tornado's summoned the ATK and DEF points of the opponent's monsters are cut in half!" Tornado's turbines unleashed a twin set of cyclones that blew through Tempest (ATK: 1400), "Great Tornado, attack!" Great Tornado merged his cyclones into a single massive hurricane.

"If Tempest is gonna be destroyed, I can just sacrifice a card on my side of the field to make him invincible in battle!" As Jaden discarded his field-spell, Tempest stood strong against the hurricane until it finally subsided.

**Jaden: 6500**

**Jason: 6200**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Pot of Avarice! By returning five monster to the deck from my grave, I can draw 2 new cards!" after adding Wroughtweiler, Rampart Blaster, Thunder Giant, Clayman and Burstinatrix to his deck, he drew two cards from his deck, "Then I switch Tempest in DEF mode, then summon back Wroughtweiler to join him!" the robotic dog returned (DEF: 1200), "And that ends my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect to add Polymerization back into my hand. Next I attack Wroughtweiler!" another cyclone destroyed Jaden's monster.

"When Wroughtweiler's destroyed in battle, I can return 2 cards I already used to my hand, one Polymerization and one Elemental Hero!" Jaden added the two card two his hand.

"I end my turn." Jason concluded.

"Then it's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate a spell card, De-Fusion! This spell breaks Tempest down to his original fusion-materials!" Tempest separated back into Avian (ATK: 1000), Sparkman (ATK: 1600) and Bubbleman(DEF: 1200), "Next I'll activate another spell card Reinforcements of the Army! This lets me add a warrior-type monster from my deck straight to my hand!" Jaden added Burstinatrix, "For my third spell, that's right, Polymerization! And with it I fuse Avian with Burstinatrix who's in my hand, in order to form Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" the two heroes merged into the dragonhead-equipped Elemental Hero (ATK: 2100), "Now for a change of scenery! Activating the field-spell Skyscraper! Followed by the face-down card Spell Reclamation, at the price of one card from my hand!" after slapping his field-spell into his duel-disk, giant, tall buildings shot up into the night sky; with Flame Wingman perched at the highest point behind Jaden.

* * *

><p>Gerard's eyes widened as the buildings sprouted up right in front of him, and the bad memories came flooding back. "Skyscraper...that's the card that ruined dueling for me, then one that made me put away my deck for good..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Now in case you forgotten, when an Elemental Hero attacks a stronger monster, they gain 1000 ATK points for that battle! Flame Wingman, attack Great Tornado with Skydive Scorcher!" Flame Wingman fell off and dove down against Great Tornado in a great fiery explosion (ATK: 3100).<p>

**Jaden: 6500**

**Jason: 5900**

"Now that Flame Wingman destroyed your monster, that monster's ATK points go straight out of your life-points!" the smoke cleared for Flame Wingman to appeared right in front of Jason and fired point-blank with its dragonhead.

**Jaden: 6500**

**Jason: 3100**

"The effect of Branch activates and one of the monsters used in a fusion-monster back to the field," Jason said and Stratos returned (DEF: 300), "And when Stratos is summoned, I can add an Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand." Jason added Ocean.

"Then I'll have Bubbleman attack Stratos!" Bubbleman took aim and fired at the jet-pack hero, destroying him, "Finally I'll throw down a face-down!" Jaden concluded with a reverse-card, "That's it for my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode!" the merman hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "Next I activate my face-down trap card, A Rival Appears!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "When there's a monster on the opponent's field, I can summon a monster with the same level! So I summon the level-4 (4) Elemental Hero Captain Gold(4/ATK: 2100/DEF: 800)!" the trap card flashed with white light and through it came a warrior in golden armor lined with electric-blue, and a horn-and-visor mask. Elemental Hero Captain Gold not stood with a red cape fluttering, ontop a tall spire opposite of Flame Wingman (ATK: 2100).

* * *

><p>"A level-4 monster with 2100 ATK points?!" Mindy gasped.<p>

"And as strong as Flame Wingman!" Jasmine said, "I didn't think Jason had this kind of card! I wonder why he never used it before..."

* * *

><p>"Sure it's a strong monster, but he also needs to stay in his home field in order to remain on the field; which in this case happens to be Skyscraper," Gerard muttered, "That's just how powerful Captain Gold is."<p>

* * *

><p>"You know, it's funny..." Zane mused.<p>

"That Jason's trap is similar to Jaden's A Hero Emerges card?" Alexis asked.

"No, it's like the same card I gave to Blair before she left."

"Do you think..."

Zane just shrugged.

* * *

><p>"Elemental Hero Ocean, attack Flame Wingman!" with a twirl of his staff, Ocean formed a surge of water under his feet to push him to wards Flame Wingman. The dragonhead hero dropped from his perch once again in a fiery aura to meet Ocean in battle. But in the end it was Ocean who won the battle with a swing of his trident across Flame Wingman (ATK: 2500).<p>

**Jaden: 6100**

**Jason: 3100**

* * *

><p>"Jason's Elemental Heroes' power increased, but Skyscraper's on Jaden's field!" Jasmine pointed out, "Is that even possible?"<p>

"We just saw it happen, so I guess it is." Aspen said.

* * *

><p>"Jason must've realized that Skyscraper works for both sides of the field." Zane said.<p>

"So we can keep seeing the tide turning back and forth between Jaden and Jason." Alexis added.

* * *

><p>"Oh, I forgot about that bit," Gerard smirked, "I guess anyone with an Elemental Hero can get a boost."<p>

* * *

><p>"Captain Gold, attack Sparkman!" the golden hero dove from his perch towards Sparkman.<p>

"I activate the trap card Draining Shield!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, an a barrier formed around Sparkman to repel Captain Gold's attack, "This card negates our monster's attack and adds its points to my life-points!"

**Jaden: 8200**

**Jason: 3100**

"I end my turn." Jason concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "First I switch Bubbleman to DEF mode (DEF: 1200). I activate the spell card Monster Reborn to bring back a monster from my graveyard! A monster like my Elemental Hero Bladedge!" the crystal ornament flashed before the muscular, gold-plated swordsman appeared (ATK: 2600), "Bladedge, attack Ocean!" Bladedge charged forward in his jet-pack with his arm-blades out.

"I activate my trap card Shift!" Jason opened his reverse-card and Woodsman stood in the path of Bladedge's strike, "This card changes the target of an opponent's monster's attack. So the target is changed to Elemental Hero Woodsman," Bladedge's blades made contact, but was unable to cut through Woodsman's hide as he stood his ground, "And since Woodsman is equipped with Heart of Clear Water, it can't be destroyed in battle!"

**Jaden: 8200**

**Jason: 2500**

"Sparkman attacks Captain Gold!" Sparkman threw a serge of electricity at Captain Gold and destroyed him (ATK: 2600).

**Jaden: 8200**

**Jason: 2000**

"That ends my turn." Jaden concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Ocean's effect to return an Elemental Hero monster from my field or graveyard to my hand," he added Stratos from his graveyard, "Next I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy, giving both players 1000 life-points!" there was a sudden drizzle in the street that replenished both duelists' life-points.

**Jaden: 9200**

**Jason: 3000**

"Next I summon Elemental Hero Stratos," the jetpack-wearing hero returned (ATK: 1800), "When Stratos is summoned, I can add an Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand," Jason added Elemental Hero Flash, "Ocean attacks Sparkman!" the merman hero struck Sparkman (ATK: 2500).

**Jaden: 8300**

**Jason: 3000**

"Stratos attacks Bladedge!" Stratos unleashed a stronger version of his hurricane attack against Bladedge (ATK: 2800).

**Jaden: 8100**

**Jason: 3000**

"I place 2 card face-down and end my turn." Jason concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Miracle Fusion!" after activation a flash of light shone over the buildings like a star, "With this, I can take 2 or more elemental heroes on my file or in my graveyard and remove then from the game! So by the power or Miracle Fusion, I fuse Elemental Heroes Flame Wingman and Sparkman to form the (2) Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman(8/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)!" the light took shape into a winged warrior of glowing white armor. Like Flame Wingman he stood on the tallest spire with folded arms (ATK: 2500).

* * *

><p>"I haven't seen that kind of Elemental Hero before!" Rock gasped.<p>

"That must be a new addition to Jaden's deck," Bastion said, "just like with Jason's Captain Gold."

* * *

><p>"And while Shining Flare Wingman's out, he gains 300 ATK points for each Elemental Hero in my graveyard! So since I have 3 so far, Avian, Burstinatrix and Bladedge, he gains 900 ATK points (ATK: 3400)! Now attack Elemental Hero Ocean!" spreading his wings out, Shining Flare Wingman dove down towards Ocean.<p>

"I activate my trap card Covering Fire!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "Now I merge Ocean's ATK with Stratos' (ATK: 3300)!" both heroes stood together, merging their elemental powers for a water-infused cyclone. But Shining Flare Wingman pressed on and crashed into the pair, destroying Ocean.

**Jaden: 8100**

**Jason: 2900**

"When Shining Flare Wingman destroys a monster in battle, that monster's ATK points are dealt to you as damage!" Shining Flare Wingman stood in front of Jason and enveloped them both in a blinding light.

**Jaden: 7100**

**Jason: 1400**

"And that ends my turn." Jaden concluded.

* * *

><p>"That Shining Flare Wingman's become the strongest monster out there." Zane said.<p>

"But will it stay on top?" Alexis wondered.

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I switch Stratos to DEF mode (DEF: 300). Then I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I switch Bubbleman back to ATK mode! Next I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode!" a duplicate of the wood-limbed hero appeared on Jaden's field (DEF: 2000), "Bubbleman, attack his face-down card!" Bubbleman fired upon the set monster, which was revealed as Elemental Hero Flash, who was destroyed by the flurry of bubbles (ATK: 1800).

"When Elemental Hero Flash is destroyed in battle, I remove it from play with 3 other Elemental Heroes in my graveyard to add one normal-magic card from my hand." after removing Ocean, Heat and Stratos, Jason added Rain of Mercy.

"I'm attacking Stratos with Shining Flare Wingman!" both Slifers' heroes rose to the sky.

"I activate the trap card Enchanted Javelin!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "When a monster attacks, I gain life-points equal to its ATK points!" Shining Flare Wingman dodged Stratos' cyclones and got close enough to use an arm-mounted blade on him, winning the dogfight.

**Jaden: 7100**

**Jason: 4800**

"And you know what that means!" Jaden said, "When Flame Wingman destroys a monster, that monster's ATK points are dealt directly to you as damage!" Shining Flare Wingman dove down and struck Jason with his blade.

**Jaden: 7100**

**Jason: 3000**

"With that done I end my turn with a face-down card." Jaden concluded.

* * *

><p>"It's taking Jason everything he had to just stay on the field," Bastion said, "That Shining Flare Wingman is just too tough for him to beat."<p>

"Don't count him out just yet," Rock said, "He's still got one more hero to use..."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Rain of Mercy!"<p>

**Jaden: 8100**

**Jason: 4000**

"Next, I activate Polymerization to fuse Elemental Hero Woodsman with Elemental Hero Voltic from my hand to summon Elemental Hero The Shining!" the two monsters merged into the shining light hero (ATK: 2600). Soon the two light heroes met each other over the skyscrapers, lighting up the streets, "And when this monster is summoned, he gains 300 ATK points for every Elemental Hero that are removed from play. I have 4 cards that means 1200 ATK points (ATK: 3800)! Elemental Hero The Shining attacks Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!" Shining stood in place while Shining Flare Wingman charged with his blade out. He fought against Shining's several blades until he was overwhelm by an optic blast from Shining's mask.

**Jaden: 7700**

**Jason: 4000**

* * *

><p>"Would you look at that," Gerard smirked, "Just when I thought Jaden had the strongest monster out, that other kid brought out something stronger. I wonder what's gonna come next..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Next, I activate the quick-play magic card from my hand, De-Fusion! Now I return The Shining back to my fusion-deck and summon the monsters used to summon it!" after Jason played his last card from his hand, The Shining was the replaced by Voltic (ATK: 1000) and Woodsman (DEF: 2000), "Elemental Hero Voltic, attack Bubbleman!"<p>

**Jaden: 7500**

**Jason: 4000**

"When Voltic inflicts battle-damage, I can special-summon an Elemental Hero that's removed from play. And I choose Elemental Hero Heat!" Elemental Hero Heat appeared on the field (ATK: 1600), "And while Heat is on the field, he gains 200 ATK points for each Elemental Hero on my field (ATK: 2200)! Elemental Hero Heat, attack Woodsman!"

"I activate my trap card, Hero Ring!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, and Woodsman, with a gold aura, blocked the ignited punch from Heat, "And once activated, I can equip it onto an Elemental Hero with 1500-or-fewer ATK points. And that's makes him invincible against any attacks from monsters with 1900 or more ATK points."

"I end my turn." Jason concluded.

* * *

><p>"Wow, Jason had already taken out what must be Jaden's strongest monster," Syrus said, "But Jaden's still holding on with almost all his life-points!"<p>

"Yeah, Jason's sure giving his all in this!" Chumley said, "But my gut's telling me Jaden still have more up his sleeve..."

Rock turned over to Bastion, "You're smart. Any ideas on how this duel's gonna turn out?"

"Oh, so _now_ you want my input..." Bastion scowled with a raised brow, "Very well; first we review the cards both duelists are using. In Jason's case, his cards mainly focus on cards that take advantage of monsters' attributes; while Jaden's strategy is more simple, advancing through fusion-summoning. The similarity they share is that they both use Elemental Heroes. But Jaden has always managed to surprise us in the past."

"Yeah, and so did Jason." Rock said.

"That's an entirely different case. You see, while Jason's deck is indeed adaptable, it still has his limits. As for Jaden, he seems to have no limits, and I've spent most of the night before analyzing him."

"Say you. This duel isn't over yet."

"You're the one who asked... "

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "First, I play Woodsman's special-ability, which lets me add one Polymerizaion card from my deck or graveyard to my hand!" he added the card from his graveyard, "Next I activate the spell card known as Spellbook Inside the Pot! This let's both of us draw 3 new cards!" Jason's hand became three while Jaden's four, "Now I activate the spell card Polymerization; and fuse Elemental Hero Woodsman with the Elemental Hero Ocean from my hand!" the merman hero joined Woodsman before they merged into a vortex, "With those two I create the (3) Elemental Hero Terra Firma(8ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)!" from the vortex came a new Elemental Hero, with a body literally chisheled out of marble. Blue glass rest on his shoulders and skullcap while a red gem can be seen on his chest (ATK: 2500).

* * *

><p>"Now that is one handsome hero!" Mindy sighed.<p>

"I'd never thought It's possible, but I agree with you on this one!" Jasmine said.

* * *

><p>"Now for Terra Firma's ability! By sacrificing an Elemental Hero on the field, he gains their ATK points for this turn!" suddenly the Elemental Heroes glowed on the field, including Jason's monsters. Somehow being drawn to Terra Firma, they allowed themselves to be absorbed into his body. He then glowed a burning aura as he reached over to his thighs pulled out a pair of white handles with elongated torches.<p>

Elemental Hero Terra Firma: (ATK: 7500)

* * *

><p>"Did you see that?!" Syrus gasped, "Jaden's new monster just took all of Jason's like it owns them!"<p>

"I guess now we know what the 'Terra Firma' in its name actually means." Bastion said.

* * *

><p>"Elemental Hero Terra Firma, attack!" Terra Firma charged with his burning swords, "Magma Slash!"<p>

"I activate my trap card, Windstorm of Etaqua!" Jason opened his reverse-card and a massive storm pushed back the monster (DEF: 2000), "Now all monsters on the field change their battle-positions!"

"Well then I'll activate the spell card Fighting Spirit and equip it onto Terra Firma!" Jaden slipped the card into his duel-disk, "Now every monster on your side of the field gain 300 ATK points (ATK: 2800)! And if Terra Firma's ever gonna be destroyed in battle, Fighting Spirit takes his place! I end my turn!"

* * *

><p>"So Terra Firma has the ability to assimilate any Elemental Hero to increase it's power," Bastion said, "It'd be no wonder Jaden never used it until now. This duel would be a perfect opportunity to demonstrate his full potential."<p>

"So you're saying it's pointless to fight an Elemental Hero that absorbs Elemental Heroes?" Rock asked.

"I'm saying that since Terra Firma has command over his fellow heroes, regardless of their allegiance, then Jason must think of a more alternative method."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Pot of Avarice to add 5 monsters from my graveyard to my deck to draw 2 cards. Next I activate Fusion Recovery to add Polymerization and a monster card to my hand. Next I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode," the flowerbud hero appeared, "Next I activate the magic card Rose Bud! By sending Elemental Hero Knospe to the graveyard, I can special-summon Elemental Hero Poison Rose from my deck!" a large flower bud closed around Knopse and opened back up to reveal Poison Rose, "Poison Rose, attack!" the plant-type heroine brought out a pair of vine whips and lashed out at Terra Firma, but the opponent stood his ground without a scratch, wearing off Fighting Spirit's effect.<p>

* * *

><p>"But what's the points?" Jasmine questioned, "Sure it got rid of that equip-spell, but all Jaden has to do now is absorb Poison Rose and he'll win the duel!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Finally I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "And I activate Terra Firma's effect!"

"I activate the trap card Spiritual Earth Art!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "By releasing an earth-attribute monster on my field, I can summon a level-4-or-lower monster with the same attribute!" Poison Rose left the field, devolving back into Knospe (ATK: 600).

"Then I'll just have to activate Terra's effect all over again," Knospe was drawn into Terra Firma (ATK: 3100), "Now attack!"

Jaden: 7500

Jason: 900

* * *

><p>"So he managed to weaken Terra's defense with a stronger monster, and then switched for a weaker one so that when Terra Firma attack, he'll still have life-points left." Bastion said.<p>

"But that just leaves him without any monsters out again!" Rock said, "Is he gonna make another comeback or something?"

* * *

><p>"Finally I end my turn with a face-down." Jaden concluded.<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the trap card Call of the Haunted to summon a monster from the graveyard," he opened his reverse-card and Voltic returned to the field (ATK: 1000), "Next I activate Polymerization and fuse Voltic with Silent Swordsman from my hand to summon Elemental Hero The Shining!" Voltic merged with the small swordsman, and The Shining returned to the field, hovering over in front of Terra Firma (ATK: 3500), "Shining, attack Terra Firma!" as Shining hovered further up, his blades detached and shot towards Terra Firma. The earth-based hero charged forth dodging the blades, which were still locked onto him. Terra Firma moved out of the direction of Shining's optic blast, which destroyed the blades for him. When Terra Firma closed in, he and Shining were caught in a deadlock.

"If Terra's going down he's not going without a fight! I activate my face-down card, Ego Boost!" Jaden opened his reversed quick-play spell, "This gives Terra Firma 1000 ATK points during an attack!" Terra Firma became burning with green glowing energy (ATK: 3500). His heightened power matched him with The Shining. With their opposing strengths clashing the stalemate became a bright flash that turned everything else into shadow. The lightshow soon passed and the city became nothing more than a quiet nightlife.

* * *

><p>"Just when I thought I knew what's coming next, Jaden never ceases to surprise me." Zane said.<p>

"Are you kidding? This duel never ceases to surprise me." Alexis said.

* * *

><p>"Who said Slifers can't duel!" Rock cheered, "We're just witnessing Duel Academy history here! This is being the best duel ever!"<p>

* * *

><p>"This is really getting good!" Gerard admitted, "I forgot how much fun dueling can be!"<p>

* * *

><p>"When The Shining is sent to the graveyard, I can add 2 Elemental Heroes that are removed from play." Jason returned Ocean and Stratos.<p>

"I summon Elemental Hero Ocean in ATK mode!" the merman hero appeared on the field (ATK: 1500), "I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell card called Duel! Now both of us can draw until we both have 6 cards in our hand!" both Slifers kept drawing, "Next, I'll be summoning Elemental Hero Clayman in DEF mode!" the rock-armored hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "And after throwing down a set of face-downs, I'll call it a turn!" two reverse-cards appeared.

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate Ocean's effect to add an Elemental Hero back from my graveyard. Next I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" Heat returned to the field (ATK: 2000), "Then I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell called Hero's Return! This lets me bring a warrior back from the graveyard for 2 turns! Elemental Hero Avian, welcome back!" the feather-winged hero returned (ATK: 1000), "Next I activate the spell card Feather Shot! This allows Avian to wage battle with every monster on your field! And with Skyscraper out, they don't stand a chance!" Avian furled his wings as he hovered up.

"I activate my trap card!" Jason opened his Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan trap card, "And use his effect to destroy the opponent's monsters!"

"In that case I have just the card for that kind of problem. Go, Feather Wind!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "This counter-trap gives Avian the power to cancel any spell or trap and destroy it!" Avian beat his wings to form a cyclone that tore apart Jason's card, "Sorry to take the wind outta your sails. But, well, you know." Avian beat his wing once more and fired off a series of razor-sharp feathers (ATK: 2000). Those projectiles destroyed Jason's two heroes; first Ocean, then Heat.

**Jaden: 7500**

**Jason: 200**

"And with that, I call it a turn." Jaden concluded.

* * *

><p>"And once again, Jaden's back in the lead!" Mindy said.<p>

"I don't think he was ever behind to begin with." Jasmine said.

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Yu-Jo Friendship!" the card used showed two famous duelists holding hands.<p>

"Finally! I get to see that card in action!" Jaden said, "...So what does it do?"

"Well... First you can choose if you want to give your opponent a handshake," Jason explained, "Then both players' life-points become half the total if you do."

* * *

><p>"So Jason's giving Jaden a choice to give some of his points?" Mindy asked.<p>

"That's an entirely pointless move!" Jasmine scoffed, "No one in their right mind would go along with that!"

* * *

><p>"As much as I want to, I don't really like helping my opponent..." Jaden replied, "But that the hey! I'd never leave a pal hanging!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Jaden's brain must be on vacation!" Jasmine gawked, "He actually wants to go through with this? He has an overwhelming advantage in life-points! He should keep them!"<p>

"Maybe if you were in his place you would," Aspen said, "But I don't think Jaden's in it just to win."

"Well, what other reason could there be? I didn't think Jaden could be the condescending type."

"This isn't about judging your opponent. This duel's just getting exciting and even Jaden knows it. And as much as Jaden wants to win, clearly he doesn't want this duel to end so soon."

* * *

><p>Jason forgot how it happened, but he and Jaden met at the center for an urban handshake before separating.<p>

"Alright, Jason! Here's for a great duel!" Jaden brought up his duel-disk in front of him.

Jason was still taken aback by Jaden's decision. But still he copied his gesture. "Right..."

**Jaden: 3750**

**Jason: 3750**

"I summon Element Saurus in ATK mode!" the bronze-scaled dinosaur appeared (ATK: 1500), "Next I equip it with Scroll of Bewitchment and change its attribute to FIRE! And when there's a fire-attribute monster on the field, Elemental Saurus gains 500 ATK points (ATK: 2000)! Element Saurus, attack Elemental Hero Avian!" Element Saurus fired a stream of fire and destroyed Avian.

**Jaden: 2750**

**Jason: 3750**

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Jason concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "First things first! I switch Clayman to ATK mode! Next I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart to the field in ATK mode!" the muscular jungle-born hero appeared, "Next, I'll equip him with the Cyclone Boomerang spell card, giving him 500 extra ATK points!" Wildheart was then fitted with his large trademark boomerang (ATK: 2000), "Wildheart, attack Element Saurus!" Wildheart tossed his boomerang towards the dinosaur.

"I activate my face-down cards, Spiritual Fire Art and Spell-Shattering Arrow!" Jason opened his reverse-cards, "While Spell-Shattering Arrow destroys all of the opponent's magic cards, and deals 500 points of damage for each one, Spiritual Fire Art allows me to release a fire-attribute monster and inflict damage equal to its original ATK points!" the two cards merged as Element Saurus charged through the streets. The cards unleashed a flurry of countless ignited arrows, arrows that ripped through the buildings like swiss. Between the falling debris from above and the dinosaur whose scales lit ablaze as it kept stomping forward, combined with the continuous flaming projectiles it became a barrage too complex to defend against until the moment the monster's jaws snapped shut on him. The veil of flame dulled down to bring him back to a barren arena with Jason.

**Jaden: 250**

**Jason: 3750**

* * *

><p>"Look at that! Jason just cleaned out most of Jaden's life-points!" Mindy said, "Now he's the one in the lead!"<p>

"He's going all out! Who knew he had it in him!" Jasmine admitted.

* * *

><p>"I gotta say, that's some combo! But there's one thing your move didn't count on: my Clayman and Wildheart going on the attack!" the two earth-attribute heroes charged in a combined assault against Jason.<p>

**Jaden: 250**

**Jason: 1450**

"Finally, I activate the spell card Soul Return! This lets me add two warrior-type monster from my grave to my deck in whatever order! After that, I'll call it a turn!" Jaden concluded.

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate 2 magic cards, Last Will and Monster Reincarnation! By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, Monster Reincarnation lets the player add one monster card from my graveyard to my hand!" he traded a card from his hand with one from his graveyard, "Then I'll summon that monster in ATK mode, Elemental Hero Ocean!" the merman hero reappeared (ATK: 1500), "Attack Elemental Hero Clayman!" Ocean brought out his lance and charged.

"Activating my face-down card, Clay Charge!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, "I can play this card when Clayman gets into a scuffle. He'll fight back, alright, but he'll be taking whoever's picking it with him! And now, Clayman, to quote an old favorite of mine, it's Clobbering Time!" Clayman charged against Ocean. After a short battle, they were both destroyed. "Oh, and don't think Clayman's through yet. You take 800 points of damage after the battle!" the ghost of Clayman appeared and slammed into Jason.

**Jaden: 250**

**Jason: 650**

"The effect of the magic card Last Will activates when a monster on my side of the field is sent to the graveyard," Jason said, "Now I can special-summon a monster with 1500-or-less ATK points from my deck! So I summon Millennium Shield!" the large red-and-gold shield appeared (DEF: 3000), "I end my turn."

* * *

><p>"Jason's beginning to think two steps ahead," Zane said, "He play Last Will so he'd have a back-up plan set up in case he couldn't finish the job. Now he has out one of the strongest monsters in terms of defense."<p>

* * *

><p>"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I summon my Elemental Hero Ocean to the field!" the merman hero returned to the field (ATK: 1500), "Then I switch Wildheat to DEF mode (DEF: 1600) and end my turn!"<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set one monster in DEF mode and end my turn." a set monster appeared.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate Ocean's ability to add an Elemental Hero back to my hand!" he added to his hand from the graveyard, "That great for me because now I can summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat to the field in DEF mode!" the female fire heroine appeared (DEF: 1000), "After that I end my turn, but not before Lady Heat gets to activate her special-ability! You know the one, right?" Lady Heat threw a trio of small fireballs at Jason.

**Jaden: 250**

**Jason: 50**

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon (*) Penguin Soldier(2/ATK: 750/DEF: 500) from face-down to face-up," his monster flipped over as a baby penguin in red shoulderpads (ATK: 750), "When this card is flipped over, I can return 2 monsters on the field to my hand! And I choose Elemental Hero Ocean and Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" both aforementioned heroes vanished from the field, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card.

* * *

><p>"Jason!" Rock called, "Don't forget, you still have that Lady Heat to deal with!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I activate the trap card Spiritual Water Art!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "By releasing a water-attribute monster, I can look into a player's hand and discard one card!" Jaden showed his hand, but Jason was only interested in one card, "I choose to discard Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" Jaden discarded the monster.<p>

"Since there's at least 2 level-4-or-higher heroes sleeping in my grave I get to activate the spell Legacy of a Hero, drawing 3 new cards!" Jaden drew three new cards, "Next I'll summon Elemental Hero Woodsman to the field!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Next I play the spell card known as A Flute of Summoning Kuriboh! This card lets me call a Kuriboh monster, or in my case, Winged Kuriboh, out to the field!" the flying ball of brown fur appeared (DEF: 200), "Finally I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I'm banishing Elemental Hero Stratos, Elemental Hero Great Tornado and Elemental Hero Gaia to summon (*) Desert Twister(6/ATK: 2300/DEF: 2000) from my hand!" a grey, dusty tornado rose in the form of a reptilian monster, whose torso was suspended my that tornado (ATK: 2300), "This card can only be summoned from my hand by banishing 2 wind-attribute and 1 earth-attribute monster from my graveyard. And by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can destroy one of your magic or trap cards!" Desert Twister fired a small cyclone from its hands towards Jaden's face-down.

"That card may be going, but not without providing some backup! Activate Transcendent Wings!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, "By sending 2 cards from my hand to the grave, my Winged Kuriboh evolves, all the way to Level 10!" light surrounded Winged Kuriboh until he was wearing a suit of armor in the shape of a dragon, complete with large white wings and long golden neck (ATK: 300/DEF: 200), "And in case you forgot, this Kuriboh can stand up to even the strongest attacks, taking every monster on your field with it and giving all their ATK points to you as damage!"

* * *

><p>"So Jason can't get at Jaden's life-points by attacking. And he's used up all of his direct-attack cards!" Syrus said.<p>

"Same goes for Jaden! He's used most of his fusions so it'll be near impossible to get past that Millennium Shield!" Rock said, "It's a stalemate!"

* * *

><p>"I end my turn." Jason concluded.<p>

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ocean!" the merman hero returned (DEF: 1200), "And that's it for my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman and Ocean's special-ability they picked up from Wroughtweiler earlier, adding Polymerization and an Elemental Hero from my graveyard!" he removed two cards from his graveyard yet he added one to his hand, "Now I'll activate Polymerization and fuse Ocean and Woodsman one more time! Go, Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" the two heroes merged and the earth-based hero returned (ATK: 2500), "And by using his special-ability, I'm absorbing Wildheart to add in his ATK points!" Wildheart became drawn into Terra Firma (ATK: 4000), "Terra Firma, attack Desert Twister!"

"I activate Spiritual Wind Art!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "By releasing a wind-attribute monster on my field, I can return one card on the field to the bottom of the owner's deck! So by releasing Desert Twister, I choose your Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" Desert Twister surrounded himself into a large cyclone that rammed into Terra Firma and sent him away.

* * *

><p>"Check out the score! Just one more move could win the duel for one of them!"<p>

"Forget the score, look at the field! Both sides have their best defense out!"

"Then it's the bottom of the ninth for these two."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "And I activate the magic card Tremendous Fire!" the spell came to life as a sea of flame washing over the field reaching Jaden's feet. "It inflicts 1000 points of damage to the opponent's life-points!"

**Jaden: 0**

**Jason: 50**

* * *

><p>"It looks like we have a winner..." Jasmine said, sitting with wide eyes.<p>

"And here I thought I at least knew who the winner would be..." Mindy blinked.

"Wait, you mean you don't know?" Aspen asked.

* * *

><p>"What are you talking about?" Syrus asked.<p>

"Tremendous Fire's side-effect." Bastion said.

* * *

><p>"There's a reason most duelists don't put that card in their deck," Zane explained, "Tremendous Fire is a give-and-take spell. In exchange for <em>giving<em> 1000 points of damage, the user must also _take_ 500 himself."

"And that means..."

* * *

><p><strong>Jaden: 0<strong>

**Jason: 0**

After a delaying moment of silence, the audience stood for the biggest applause they could make, giving all kinds of praise.

* * *

><p>"That was amazing!" Mindy squealed, "I can't believe those two would be evenly matched!"<p>

Jasmine sat silent before closing her agape mouth, "That was... anti-climatic." she sighed before rising up to leave.

* * *

><p>"Despite his record Jason's already proven to duel with the best of them," Zane smirked, "I guess Jaden's finally found some competition."<p>

Alexis smiled with him, "I know I'll never forget this duel."

"That was awesome!" Alexis looked down to see the taller Slifer cheering his lungs out.

* * *

><p>"Oh yeah! What a duel!" When Gerard caught himself pumping his fists he regained his composure before leaving, "Thanks, guys..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Looks like you managed to prove yourself, Jason..." Chakra let out a small smirk before leaving, "But I'm guessing you still have a long way to go.<p>

* * *

><p>Having been spent from the recent duel, Jason was long sitting on the floor catching his breath. When a shadow loomed over, he looked up to see Jaden standing over him, giving his trademark salute, "I gotta say I haven't had that much fun in a long time! Now that's game!" he then brought his hand out to him. Jason stared at it for a moment before grabbing it and letting Jaden help him up.<p>

* * *

><p>"It looks like both Jaden Yuki and Jason Hutchins will be participating in the annual School Duel!" Sheppard announced.<p>

"Yes, but North Academy is bringing only one duelist," Banner pointed out, "Not that it's a major problem or anything, but we should at least make it even, right?"

"Don't worry, I got it already covered."

* * *

><p>"Hear that? Both of 'em are gonna be in the School Duel!" Rock said.<p>

"Looks like things are finally gonna be looking up for the Slifer Dorm!" Syrus said.

"Many now we can get some respect around here." Chumley said.

"An Elemental Hero pair in the annual duel..." Bastion said, "Now this is definitely something to look forward to."

* * *

><p>"Hey, you!" Gerard stopped in his tracks for the voice he heard the night before, "You're who was asking me questions at the abandoned dorm. What are you doing here?"<p>

"Well, not what I thought..." Gerard replied.

"What...?"

"You see, I came here looking for a story; but what I found was something very, very different. I found the duelist inside me. The duelist I thought was long gone. Look, I'm a reporter. A sleazy one, I'll admit it. I make a living off of digging up dirt. But I didn't always. I took on monsters and spells before I took tabloid pictures. But I wasn't any good. I got beat all the time. The memories were awful. But after today's matches, it made me remember what dueling's really about," Gerard pulled out the device with the ill-gotten information in it, "I had a great lead that I was gonna sell; one that would've probably ruin Duel Academy. But I don't wanna ruin this place. Now now. Now I only wanna help. To find them," he turned to face the Obelisk girl, "All those missing students. Including your brother, Alexis." as she watched Gerard walk off down the hallway, she was left with something she was losing for quite a while: hope.

* * *

><p>"This is gonna be sweet!" Jaden grinned and pulled Jason's arm up as he pumped a fist of his own, "School Duel, get your game on! 'Cause here we come!"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Elemental Hero Inferno**

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2300/DEF: 1600)**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: "Elemental HERO Heat" + "Elemental HERO Lady Heat"**

**Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If this card battles a WATER monster, this card gains 1000 ATKduring the Damage Step only.**

**(2) Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman**

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: "Elemental HERO Flame Wingman" + "Elemental HERO Sparkman"**

**Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card gains 300 ATK for each "Elemental HERO" card in your Graveyard. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster in the Graveyard.**

**(3) Elemental Hero Terra Firma**

**Stats: [Warrior/Fusion/Effect] LV: 8 (ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000)**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: "Elemental HERO Ocean" + "Elemental HERO Woodsman"**

**Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. You can Tribute 1 face-up "Elemental HERO" monster; this card gains ATK equal to the Tributed monster's ATK, until the End Phase.**

**(4) Elemental Captain Gold**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV: 4 (ATK: 2100/DEF: 800)**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: You can discard this card to the Graveyard; add 1 "Skyscraper" from your Deck to your hand. If "Skyscraper" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	29. School Duel: Part 1-Military Might

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

* * *

><p>A loud knocking jerked Jason awake this morning. Wanting it to stop he stumbled out of bed to the door and opened it to find Rock on the other side, "Hey, whadda 'ya still doing in your joggers?!" Jason merely grunted, not fully awake, "Dude, it's almost noon! And the School Duel's gonna start soon and the meet-and-greet's already started!"<p>

Somehow that shook Jason wide awake, "Wha, it's now...?!"

* * *

><p>After stuffing himself into his academy clothes, Jason followed Rock to the pier where it was full of other students and faculty. A large submarine can be seen stationed at the docks with an unfamiliar group standing on the deck. One of them, a balding old man in glasses and a peach-colored scuba suit stepped onto land and was greeted by the Chancellor. "Foster! It's been far too long! How have you been?"<p>

"I've been well, ever since I got over the defeat toy handed us at last year's School Duel." Foster replied, greeting palms.

"Oh, don't fret about that. It was a close match."

"Not really. But this year I have a feeling it will be."

"Yes. I'm sure it will. To a spirited duel between our two schools."

"Yeah, yeah, spirited," Jaden jumped in between the two, "But enough with all the 'how you doin's', I wanna meet who I'm gonna be duelin'."

"Yes, Jaden, we were just getting to that." Sheppard said.

"Great. Then I'll just wait right here 'til we get there."

"Jaden?" Foster piqued, "So you're Duel Academy's phenom."

"Phenom? That's the coolest thing I've ever been called!" Jaden exclaimed, "What's it mean?"

That comment seemed to have tripped Foster off his feet, "It means be quiet..." Sheppard hissed.

"So c'mon, c'mon! When do I get to meet my opponent?!"

"Right now, Slacker!"

Jaden blinked and looked to the sub where the North Academy students were, "Who just said that...?"

"It me." those students stepped aside for whoever addressed him.

"Whoa, hold on!" Jaden gasped, "Am I seeing things or is that Chazz?!"

"You got that right."

"...Well, why are you here?"

"For the duel."

"I think it's sold out..."

"I'm in it!"

"Like as a ref?"

"I'm dueling _you_!"

"You mean...it's you? You're North Academy's duel rep?! Since when did you transfer?"

"Since I stopped getting the respect I deserved here."

"That's right!" the north's students chimed.

"Yeah. Now it's payback," one of then spoke in their thick russian accent, "you won't give respect so he'll take it!"

"He'll Chazz you Up!"

"Big time." Chazz finalized.

The air seemed to tense due to the standoff their giving each other, before the wind suddenly picked up. Everyone had to cover their eyes from the dust and Jaden was one of them who caught a glimpse of something in the sky, "Oh great. Now what?!" he had to yell over the loud rotors.

"Hi, Chazz!"

"What's going on, little brother?! Mind of we drop in?!"

From one of the couple of helicopters in the sky you could see two men in suits, one with shoulder-long black hair and goatee, the other with shorter brown hair. At least only one person knew them, "Slade! Jagger?! Why are you herr?!"

"Why else, to celebrate your big dueling victory!" Jagger exclaimed. The helicopters landed ontop of the building they were hovering over, the two brothers stepping outside, "You are going to win, aren't you, Chazz?"

The second helicopter opened and another person stepped out, wearing what looks like a white military uniform. He was a mature man with black hair, goatee and large brows. He stood at the edge of the building and looked down at the crowd.

"Glad to see you made it!" Sheppard greeted.

"Wait a minute!" Foster gasped, "Why is Principal MacKenzie here?!"

"That's it! Beautiful! Just act natural!" now the pier was being littered with trucks and vans carrying lots of electronics, including cameramen that watched over the area.

"Alright, a little more to the right...okay, we're all set here with Camera 2!"

"Uh, what's going on here?" Foster called to the nearest person.

"'What's going on?' I think you mean _when_ are you going on!" the lead cameraman said, "And the answer is primetime, baby! This School Duel's gonna be broadcasted worldwide!"

"No way!" Jaden's eyes widened and faced the nearest camera, "Me on TV? My face beamed across the world?! In _full color!?_ _IN FULL STEREO?!_"

* * *

><p><strong>Later...<strong>

"You mean you didn't know there's a Duel Academy back in the States?"

"Am I supposed to...?" Jason was in the school lobby on the benches with Rock, Jaden and Chakra.

"It's like the other side of a coin, it represents the west side like Duel Academy here represents the east! I thought for sure you'd know about it. You are from around there, aren't you?"

Jason leaned over to Chakra, "Do you know anything about their Duel Academy?"

"I...may have held that part back," Chakra sighed, "It's just that they rarely participated in multi-school events. They just keep to themselves."

Soon after, Syrus came out to the lobby, "I just heard that Jason's going to duel first!"

"I better get ready..." Jason stood and went on his way to the arena, with the others following. But when he reached the halls' intersection, their path were being crossed from a different corridor by people approaching, a young man and woman, both wearing white military uniforms and headwear.

"Never seen these guys before..." Rock whispered aside.

Jaden was the first to step out and approach them, "I guess you're here dueling for the American Academy, right?"

"Yes. And I was told you're representing your school as well." the young man replied with a small smile, "I have to admit, I was surprised that since Zane Truesdale decline the position this year, someone from the lowest dorm would be participating. To think someone from Slifer Red would have that much potential."

"Well, penny for your thoughts!" Jaden reached a hand out, "Here's to a good game!"

"I wouldn't waste my time on them," both groups turned to see Chazz coming up from a different corridor, "Take it from me, I used to be a student here, and I know for a fact those Slifers won't last long out there. That guy in particular..." Chazz pointed at Jason, "His track record isn't something to write home about. He lost way more duels than he won."

"Well, we won't know until we found out, won't we." Jaden scowled.

"Hmph, yeah, we'll see," Chazz slipped past the American students, "And I'll see you on the duel field."

Soon they made it to the entrance leading straight to the stadium.

'Here goes...' Jason breathed and prepared to walk out.

"Wait," the Slifer stopped at the sound of Chakra's voice, and looked back to see her smile, "Whoever your opponent, there's no telling what you'll be up against. So no matter the situation, just remember to adapt like you did when you fought against me."

Jason nodded and stepped out.

* * *

><p>It was then time for the annual School Duel. Everyone from both North and Duel Academy were cheering on the stands opposite to each other, with the Chancellors sitting in the middle of the North.<p>

_"That's it, everyone, lot's of energy! Remember, the whole world's watching this thing live!"_ the director called from his megaphone, _"Now let's cheer these duelsts on!"_

"Same bet as usual. Eh, Sheppard?" Foster glanced at his rival, "You remember, don't you?"

"Absolutely," Sheppard nodded, "After all, it's what makes this so special... Attention, students!" Sheppard rose from his seat with Foster following, "Welcome to the School Duel between our three schools!"

"And now..." Foster added.

And then in unison, "Let this year's competition finally begin!"

"Doctor Crowler, please begin the first round!"

* * *

><p>"With pleasure, Chancellor Sheppard!" Crowler stepped onto the arena with a microphone, "And this year's duel is a special occasion! For not only is North Academy dueling for the second year in a row, this year the American Duel Academy decided to try their hand as well! So without any further ado, I'm proud to introduce American Academy's representative! Let us give a warm Duel Academy welcome to David Rabb!" the crowd applaud when the challenger entered the arena, "And facing him today, representing Duel Academy is...what's his name again...oh, who cares! That guy with the cowlick, get out here!" Jason walked into the arena. When he saw his opponent, he recognized him as one of the students from the American Academy he ran into earlier. The young man had brown hair under a sailor's cap.<p>

* * *

><p>Above the stands, Chakra was leaning over the rails waiting for the duel to begin, "Everything I taught you so far had led to this. Now to put it to good use..."<p>

* * *

><p>Elsewhere, Principal MacKenzie was also getting a bird's eye view of the duel, 'Let's see if this school could retain their reputation without their #1 duelist up to plate..."<p>

* * *

><p>"And now, let the duel begin!" Crowler then jumped off the arena to give room.<p>

**David: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Since I'm the challenger, I will go first," David drew his first card, "I place one monster in DEF position," a reverse-card appeared, "That will do for now."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his first card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode," the fire-fist hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And he gains 200 ATK points for each Elemental Hero monster on my side of the field (ATK: 1800), "Now attack!" Heat slammed his fist into what became the hide of Machina Defender (DEF: 1800).

"You managed to uncover my Machina Defender. Once this monster is flipped over, I can add a Commander Covington to his hand." David said and showed his opponent the card before adding it.

* * *

><p>"A Machina deck!" Syrus gasped, "Just like when Noire used!"<p>

"And it's a safe bet that the bigger machines can't be far." Bastion said.

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." a reverse-card appeared.

"Then it's my turn to draw," David drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Double Summon, meaning I can summon two monster at once this turn. So I'll summon Machina Soldier and Machina Sniper," the green machina (ATK: 1600) and bronze machina (ATK: 1800) appeared, "Finally I'll end my turn with a face-down card."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Ice Edge in ATK mode," the smaller ice hero appeared (ATK: 800), and Jason discarded from his hand, "And by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, Ice Edge can attack directly!"

"I activate the Threatening Roar trap card," David opened his reverse-card, and a shockwave erupted from it, "There'll be no battle-phase this turn. It's a shame such a useful effect should go to waste."

"I end my turn..." Jason concluded.

"Then it's my move," David drew his next card, "I summon Commander Covington to the field," the red machina commander appeared (ATK: 1000), "And with its effect I'll combine Machinas Soldier, Sniper and Defender into their most powerful form, Machina Force!"

* * *

><p>"Here it comes..." Zane muttered.<p>

* * *

><p>With a single gesture, Commander Covington guided the machina's as they merged into a larger, more powerful version of the three (ATK: 4600), "Also, I activate the special-ability of one Machina Fortress. By discarding monster that total level 8, at least, I can summon to the field as well," after discarding two cards, the large blue machina tank appeared (ATK: 2500), "Now my fortress will attack your Elemental Hero Ice Edge!"<p>

"I activate the trap card Windstorm of Etaqua!" Jason opened his reverse-card, and a massive cyclone rose from it, picking up the two giant machinas and Commander Covington, "It switches the battle-positions of every monster on your side of the field!" when the storm passed, the machinas were dropped hard back onto the ground."

Machina Force: (DEF: 4100)

Machina Fortress: (DEF: 1600)

Commander Covington: (DEF: 600)

"So you managed to ward off both of my monsters," David scoffed, "Very well, I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Polymerization to use Elemental Heroes Heat and Ice Edge to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the two monsters merged into the ice-armored hero (DEF: 2000), "I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," David drew his next card, "I switch Machina Fortress to ATK position and attack your Absolute Zero." Fortress fired with its large railgun.

"I activate my face-down, De-Fusion!" Jason opened his reverse-card, "By returning Absolute Zero to my fusion-deck, the monster used to summon it return to the field!" Absolute Zero vanished and Elemental Heroes Heat (ATK: 2000) and Ice Edge (DEF: 600) returned, the laser fire missing the target, "And when Absolute Zero leaves the field, all monster on the opponent's side of the field are destroyed!" all three machines were encased in ice crystals before shattering.

* * *

><p>"Nice one," Zane nodded, "Since Jason's Absolute Zero couldn't attack those machina head-on, he relied on his special-ability to deal with them all at once..." he then frowned, "But still..."<p>

* * *

><p>"I activate the spell Card of Sanctity, meaning we both draw until we hold six cards," both duelists refilled their hand, "And since I have yet to summon a monster this turn, I'll summon a certain monster called (1) Spell Reactor RE(3ATK: 1200/DEF: 900)," a new machine appeared on the field, this one dragon-like in appearance with honeycomb launcher under its belly (ATK: 1200).

* * *

><p>"Spell Reactor?" Syrus muttered, "Why do I have a bad feeling about this..."<p>

* * *

><p>"Finally I place two cards face-down." two reverse-cards appeared.<p>

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I switch Ice Edge back into ATK mode and activate his speical-ability, sending one card from my hand to the graveyard. Now attack his life-points directly!" Ice Edge tossed of series of ice shards at David.

"I activate both of my face-downs, Waboku and Fake Explosion!" David announced as both reverse-cards opened, "While Waboku protects my life-points form damage, my Fake Explosion trap protects my monster from attacks," Spell Reactor hovered over David and protected him with its metal hide, "Also, Fake Explosion brings forth a new monster, in this case from my graveyard. Come forth, (3) Summon Reactor SK(5/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1400)!" another machine rose next to Summon Reactor, this one bearing resemblance to a bomber aircraft with robotic limbs (ATK: 2000)."

* * *

><p>"Now there's a Summon Reactor..." Zane said, "Then I was right; those cards belong in a set."<p>

* * *

><p>"I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode," the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "Then..."<p>

"Then Summon Reactor SK's effect activates," David interrupted, "Meaning you take 800 points of damage per turn the first time you summon a monster." Summon Reactor's propeller spun rapidly firing a pair of twisters against Jason, the Slifer blocking with his duel-disk to keep the flying dust from his eyes.

**David: 4000**

**Jason: 3200**

* * *

><p>"Now we know what put the 'Reactor' in those Reactor monsters!" Rock said, "They 'react' to the opponent's cards by slamming them with 800 points! And all by having them play a certain card!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I place one card face-down and end my turn..." Jason concluded.<p>

"Then it's my turn," David drew his next card, "I summon (2) Trap Reactor Y FI(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 1800) to the field in DEf position," a third machine joined the duo, with the form of a fighter plane with wings as its arms (DEF: 1800), "Spell Reactor RE, attack Elemental Hero Ice Edge!" Spell Reactor zoomed towards the ice hero.

"I activate the trap card Spiritual Water Art!" Jason opened his reverse-card, and Ice Edge vanished, avoiding Spell Reactor's charge, "By releasing a water-attribute monster, I can look into your hand and send one of your cards to the graveyard!"

"You may have avoided damage from that one attack, but my Trap Reactor Y FI's effect is another story. And because you activated a trap card this turn, you take 800 points of damage," Trap Reactor hovered above Jason with its machine gun turrets locked on, and brought a rain of firepower down on him.

**David: 4000**

**Jason: 2400**

"Now, as you were, you wanted to see my hand, right? Well, here are my cards..." David showed his hand, which contained one each of a spell, monster and trap card.

"I choose monster card!" Jason decided and David discarded it. He figured that the less monsters David has the better his advantage.

"Now that Jason's took a good look at David's hand, maybe now he'll have a better chance of gaining the upper hand." Aspen said.

"I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "and end my turn."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Woodsman's effect, which lets me add a Polymerization from my deck or graveyard to my hand," he showed his opponent the card he recovered from his graveyard, "And I activate Polymerization to fuse Elemental Hero Woodsman with Ocean from my hand, in order to summon Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" the two monsters merged into the planetary hero (ATK: 2500).

"Terra Firma?! But isn't that your card?" Syrus and the others turned to Jaden, who was sitting back smirking.

"Impressive move, but you've also triggered both Summon Reactor SK and Spell Reactor RE's effects," David said, "That's another 800 from each of them!" soon a swirling cyclone of soaring rockets hit Jason dead-on.

**David: 4000**

**Jason: 800**

"Is that the best you can do with your Elemental Heroes? Is that all?" David sighed, "I am terribly disappointed."

* * *

><p>"He's not the only one," Jasmine said, "Ever since those Reactors came out, Jason's made himself a stationary target for all that damage."<p>

"Let's just hope he know what he's doing in this duel." Aspen said.

"If it's Jason, then you'd be asking for too much..."

* * *

><p>"I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy to give 1000 life-points for both opponents!" a small drizzle then sprinkled down over the field.<p>

**David: 5000**

**Jason: 1800**

"With more life-points, it gives Jason more room to use a more-effective strategy," Aspen said, "Now to see if it could get him out of this mess..."

"Next I summon Element Saurus in ATK mode!" the bronze-scaled dinosaur appeared with his spine then set ablaze (ATK: 2000), "And since there's a fire-attribute monster on the field, he gains 500 ATK points! Now, Terra Firma, attack Summon Reactor!" Terra Firma charged towards the bronze machine.

"I activate the trap card Negate Attack!" David opened his reverse-card, and a strong gust of wind erupted and repelled Terra Firma's advance, "Not only is your attack canceled, but the battle-phase ends."

"I place one card face-down and end my turn..." a reverse-card appears.

"Then it's my turn," David drew his next card, "I activate Pot of Greed, allowing to draw two cards from the top of my deck," he drew two new cards, "The I'll place this card face-down and that will be all for now."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Fusion Recovery, which lets me add Polymerization and a fusion-material monster to my hand!" Jason added the fusion card along with one of his monsters.

"Don't forget about Spell Reactor's effect," David smirked as RE fired another barrage of rockets.

"I activate my trap card, Pikeru's Circle of Enchantment!" Jason opened his reverse-card, and a large circle flashed under Jason's feet; its light forming a barrier protecting him from the missile, "For the rest of this turn, all damage from card-effects become zero!"

* * *

><p>"I don't believe it! Jason has a card like that in his deck?"<p>

* * *

><p>"Well, thanks to that he's finally got that open window of opportunity to actually deal some damage for a change." Zane said.<p>

* * *

><p>"Next, I summon Homunculus the Alchemic Being!" the humanoid plant appeared (ATK: 1800).<p>

"And that, in turn, activates Summon Reactor's effect," Summon Reactor fired another cyclone, but ws stopped by Jason's barrier.

"I activate Homunculus' effect to change his attribute to WATER! Next I activate Polymerization from my hand, and send Elemental Hero Ice Edge from my hand to the graveyard along with Homunculus from my side of the field to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero!" the ice-armored hero appeared for the second time in this game (ATK: 2500), "Next I activate the spell card Scroll of Bewitchment and equip it to Terra Firma, changing his attribute to FIRE! Then I activate Terra Firma's ability: by releasing an Elemental Hero, their ATK points are added to Terra Firma; and I choose to release both Heat and Absolute Zero!" both heroes were converted into energy to be absorbed through Terra Firma's gem on his chest (ATK: 7200), "And when Absolute Zero leaves the field, every monster on the opponent's field are destroyed!" Absolute Zero's effect was performed once again as all three reactors were shattered along with their ice prisons, "Now, Terra Firma, attack!"

* * *

><p>"But that's reckless, isn't it?" Syrus gasped, "What about David's face-down?!"<p>

"Yeah, if that card's something like what I think it is, that attack could do more damage than good!" Chumley said.

"Wait! Jason change Terra Firma to a fire-attribute, right?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, what did Jason always do with a monster if not attack head on?"

Syrus stared at the field for a moment before he found the answer, "That's right! He still has one more face-down card!"

* * *

><p>"Once again, you fell right into my hand..." David smirked and opened his reverse-card, "Activate, trap card, Dimension Wall!" suddenly space was warped in a spot where Terra Firma was caught into, then disappearing with the warp without a trace.<p>

* * *

><p>"Uh, what happened to Terra Firma...?" Rock wondered.<p>

* * *

><p>"Don't worry, he'll be back to resume his attack," David smirked, "However, when he does, you'll be taking the hit instead of me."<p>

"But my circle-"

"Can only protect you against damage from card-effects," David interrupted, "But this trap, however, is special; because instead of inflicting effect-damage, you'll be taking it as battle-damage!"

Jason trembled as he felt a strong presence behind him. He turned around only to meet the full force of Terra Firma's magma blades. Every one grew silent as Jason sank to his knees and the rest of his life-points dropped like a rock.

**David: 5000**

**Jason: 0**

That quick turnaround had reduced the entire audience, or at least the Duel Academy students, to a series of mutters and grumbles.

* * *

><p>"Jason...lost?" Syrus said.<p>

Bastion nodded, "I'm afraid so."

* * *

><p>"I really thought he was gonna win..." Mindy whimpered.<p>

"I guess he was so focused on his opponent's effect-damage cards that David's Dimension Wall took him by surprise. I mean, even I didn't see it coming." Aspen said.

"All that build-up, and Jason wasted it," Jasmine said, "I'll tell you this, anyone who's watching this, anyone who had any shred of faith in that guy must feel really stupid right now."

* * *

><p>David walked across the field to descend, but not before stopping beside Jason, seeing him shivering from the shock, "When I was told that this year's representative was a Slifer Red, I was curious of what made you so special. But now that I've seen for myself, now I'm just curious as how someone as lousy as you was able to make it this far. Stroke of luck, I supposed," David walked down the steps and away from the arena, "I suppose a Slifer by any other name is just as incompetent."<p>

"I guess the winner of this bout goes to David Rabb!" Crowler announced, "Not like we all didn't expect this, I mean really! Oh well, let's have a short 20-minute break before the next duel and see if that won't get that bad taste out of out mouths."

As David walked off, Jason looked up over the stands to Chakra. Although he couldn't see it, he could fell the icy stare on him before turning away and walking off.

* * *

><p>"I supposed I raised my expectation on this boy for nothing..." MacKenzie sighed, "Although there's still the matter of that other Slifer..."<p>

* * *

><p>"I knew it was a good idea to make those two go first!" Jagger sniggered.<p>

"You said now that that kid from Duel Academy lost, that leaves a bit of a morale problem for that other kid," Slade said, "That'll be the edge Chazz needs to mop the floor with him. After all, when putting on a show, always save the best for last!"

* * *

><p>"I'd hate to say it, but that duel just left me a bit disappointed..." Chumley said.<p>

Jaden watched distressed as he watched Jason dragging his feet out of the stadium. Even he could feel the jeering being carried on his shoulders. "Yeah. Ditto..."

"Where are you going?" Syrus asked Rock, who got up and was preparing to leave.

"You heard the guy," Rock said, "Jason's feeling more disappointed that any one of us for losing. He'd might want some company."

Syrus turned to Jaden, "Well, you should get going, too. You do have your own duel to be in."

"Right..." Jaden nodded.

It's been a while since Rock went looking for Jason but he was nowhere to be seen. He doesn't seem to be anywhere inside the building, so maybe he's outside.

"Looking for someone?"

Rock turned around to see Aspen and Noire coming up, "Good guess."

"Welcome to the club. We'll have more of a chance of finding Jason if we spread out," Aspen said, "And we'll let each other know when we do."

"Good enough for me," Rock said, "The more help the better. Now let's roll."

With that the three went their separate ways and continued the search. But unbeknownst to the someone saw watching them from a corner...

* * *

><p><strong>Later...<strong>

Jaden was walking through the halls on his was to the arena...

"Man up, Chazz..."

He heard someone's voice coming from behind a nearby door and, by curiosity, went over to check it out.

"Man up!" from the crack in the door, Jaden could see Chazz hunched over in front of the mirror, pounding his fists against the sink under, "Show everyone that Chazz Princeton is no slacker! That you're worthy of the Princeton name! That you...that you can win...and that you can keep winning! Over and Over! That you're the best!" looking closer as Chazz sank to his knees, Jaden could see his eyes leaking. This could be his first time seeing Chazz breaking down like this... "Show them that you're supreme...it's your duty...it's the plan!" over his sort of state, Chazz couldn't see Jaden in the mirror, who just saw his nervous collapse, ""Go and win... Go and win... Go and win!"

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

Since Rock couldn't find him indoors, he figured he could find Jason outside, or at least start at the Slifer Red dorm. Once there, he knocked on the door before going in himself after getting no answer. But all he could find was a dark, empty room.

His eyes went to the desk nearby where he saw a small box next to a duel-disk. Curious, he looked inside...

"Yep, these are Daichi's, alright," Rock muttered, and looked around, "But the guy himself isn't around... But where the heck is he?" growing slightly irritated, Rock put the deck back and left the room.

After hearing the door close, Jason rose from under the covers and looked over the top bunk. He sighed, not in the mood to talk to anyone...

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

After searching through one room after another, Aspen started searching in the spacious gymnasium. But as large as it is, she's quickly beginning to lose hope that Jason was even in here...

"Mind if I ask what you're doing here?" Aspen spun around to meet the girl who was with David before the first duel, "There's not much time before the second round. Don't you want to be there to see it?"

"There are more important matters to attend to," Aspen simply replied and turned away, "Now if you don't mind?"

"What if I told you I knew where Jason is?"

That caught Aspen's attention as she glanced back over her shoulder, "It's not very nice to eavesdrop."

"My mistake," the girl admitted, "Anyway, I think I recalled spotting him somewhere. However..."

Aspen turned back towards her, "'However?'"

"Information comes at a price. If you're willing to comply..."

Aspen spun back to completely face her, now sporting a hardened glare, "The way you said it sounds more like a ransom and less like offering help."

"What's so wrong about having a small duel?" the girl asked innocently, "Besides, I'm sure your friend will still be there. All I'm asking for is some quality time with at least one of Duel Academy's students. I just want to see what you duelists are made of. So, what do you say...?"

'If this girl knows where Jason is, there's no reason why she wouldn't just shut up and help,' Aspen thought 'But if I have to give her what she wants...' "...So just one quick duel is what you want?"

The girl shrugged, "If it's not too much trouble."

"Then congratulations, you just got one."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

Outside the arena, Syrus and Chumley were coaching Jaden as they fitted him with his duel-disk.

"Okay, Jaden, here we go," Syrus said, "The duel against your dueling rival; your _arch-nemesis_! How'd ya feel?"

"Eh, I'm okay."

"Okay?!"

Chumley frowned, "Don't you mean 'sweet' or something?"

"No, I _feel_ good, it's just...?"

"If you're thinking about Jason, don't worry," Syrus said, "Rock and the others are handling it."

"No, it's not that..." Jaden shook his head, "It's just...I overheard Chazz a bit earlier and well..." he looked over the arena towards Chazz, who was being coached by his own schoolmates, "It's just too bad that one of us has to lose, y'know. I'm kinda starting to understand where he's coming from; and it's not an easy place..."

* * *

><p>Rock and Noire ran into each other in the school halls.<p>

"Any sign?" Rock asked, but Noire shook her head, which he replied with a groaned, "Who knew Jason's this good at staying out of sight. Imagine how good he'd be at playing hide-and-seek," suddenly a large explosion can be heard across the halls, "Now those are some acoustics! That must be some duel we're missing..."

"I don't think that came from the arena..." Noire said, looking towards the sound, "It sounded like it came from the gym."

"But who'd be there, especially at this time?" Rock wondered, then he and Noire looked at each other...

* * *

><p>"It's time to introduce the next two duelists of the School Duel!" Crowler announced, "And this round will be a special one. After all, these are two duelists that I know personally. And by 'personally', I just adore them! Now first, from Duel Academy-" by the time he's finished, the Duel Academy students were already cheering, "Alright, keep it down, keep it down. Introducing, Jaden Yucky! ...What's that? Ah, yes! I mean 'Yuki'! Yuki!" the cheering escalated for the Slifer Red student, looking calm despite the pressure, "And his opponent-"<p>

"Get off the stage!" a familiar voice roared, "I'll introduce myself, you scrub."

"I BEG YOUR PARDON?!" Crowler spun around towards Chazz, who made that bold statement, "'Scrubs' don't have PhD's in dueling! I-huh?" over all his angry ranting he didn't notice his stamping tangled him in his mic's cord, "Althought knottying wouls've been a better major...or rather untying!" He tried hopping out of it until he fell over the edge hard on his head. Jaden looked over to see if he's alright.

"Whoa. Maybe you oughta go cordless next time?" he joked.

"Maybe you just oughta be quiet!" barked Chazz as he stepped forth with his duel-disk ready, "It's Chazz Princeton's turn now! But then, I don't really need an introduction. After all, everybody here knows who I am," he looked towards the crowd of Duel Academy students, "Or do you? See, Chazz Princeton has changed! Sure I used to be a classmate of yours, but when I left here, I left my old self as well! And now you're looking at the new-and-improved Chazz! The North Academy Chazz! And I'm here to..."

**"Chazz it Up!"**

Chazz nodded as his North Academy schoolmates chanted, "That's right! Say it again!"

**"Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up!"**

* * *

><p>"Wow. It almost like they actually...like Chazz." Syrus muttered.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>"No mercy, Chazz!"<strong>

"Got that right!" Chazz shouted before turning to his opponent, "Alright...Go Time! Let's see what you got, Jaden!"

"With pleasure!" Jaden activated his duel-disk with Chazz.

"No. The pleasure gonna be all mine. Because you're going down!"

"LET'S DUEL!"

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jaden: 4000**

**"Chazz it Up! Bring him down, Chazz!"**

"Ask and you shall receive!" Chazz drew his first card, "For my first move, I'm going to summon a monster with some bite. Rise, (3) Masked Dragon(3/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1100)!" a large, long-necked dragon wearing a white mask appeared (DEF: 1100), "That'll do for now."

"Not when you see what I got for ya," Jaden drew, "Just what I wanted. I play Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in ATK mode!" his sole female hero appeared, "Actually, on second thought, I should say slayer mode! 'Cause that's what she's gonna do to that dragon!" Burstinatrix destroyed the dragon with a large fireball.

* * *

><p>"Awesome!" Syrus cheered, "Jaden just taken the lead!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Nuh-uh, he's taken the bait!" Chazz corrected, "I activate my Masked Dragon's scpecial-ability! You see, when this monster's sent to the graveyard due to a battle, I can summon a dragon-type monster with 1500 or fewer ATK points from my deck. And I have just the one! Go ahead and see for your self! C'mon out, (4) Armed Dragon LV3(3ATK: 1200/DEF: 900)," in place of the previous dragon came a smaller one with orange and bronze scales, and buzzsaws from its chest (ATK: 1200).

* * *

><p>"Uh...'LV'?" Syrus looked towards his friends, confused.<p>

"Yeah, and 3's the lowest," Alexis nodded, "Chazz plays this right, and that dragon will get a lot bigger!"

"Indeed. I just wonder where Chazz ever gotten such a powerful card..." Bastion wondered.

* * *

><p>"Why, isn't that one of your school's top cards?" Sheppard looked over to Foster to see a sinister smirk on him, "Oh, Foster, you didn't!"<p>

"I did what I have to do..." Foster glared at the balder man, "I told you, Sheppard. I want that prize; and I'm going to get it."

"Oh yeah? Well, not if I have anything to say about it, you old-my old friend!" Sheppard rose to his feet and called out from the stands, "Let's go, Jaden! C'mon! Jaden it Up! Jaden it Up! Jaden it Up!"

* * *

><p>"Yeah, uh, sure," Jaden grinned towards his opponent, "By the way, sweet card, Chazz. I can't wait to see what that Armed Dragon card can do!"<p>

"Don't worry," Chazz smirked, "You'll have a first-row seat."

"'Til then..." a reverse-card appeared, "But for now I'm throwing down a face-down and end my turn."

"Great, now I can start ending you!" Chazz drew his next card...

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

The Slifer and Ra rushed on over to the gymnasium. And once they pushed through the doors they were literally running into a bright light they had to shield their eyes. When the light dimmed down, they saw two people out on the courts, one of them kneeling over the other.

"A duel? Here?" Rock realized.

"Look, over there!" Noire pointed towards the two.

Rock looked closer and his eyes widened as he saw who it was, "It's Aspen!" on the gym court was Aspen Seki, on her knees with her head hung low. Standing tall across her was shrouded in shadow by the light above them. The two ran over to Aspen, "You okay?" the Obelisk raised her head with a disheveled look. This appearance seemed new to both Rock and Noire, as this was the first time they saw her so uneased. "Guess not..."

"Aspen! What happened?!" Noire asked, worried.

Aspen let out a small, delirious chuckle as she dropped her head back down, "Why don't you ask her...?"

Rock and Noire looked to the shadow in front of them. They raised an arm...

"Return to me!" they called, and the light vanished revealing a blond girl in a white military uniform.

"That's the girl who was with David before the duel..." Noire whimpered.

"Neat special effects..." Rock muttered in awe.

She looked towards the two, "Oh. I thought everyone else would be watching the School Duel."

"Feeling's mutual," Rock said, "Wanna answer me your own question?"

The girl shrugged, "Nothing special. We just had a small duel, which both of us anted up one of our very special cards. Of course, of all the cards she had I had to make due with this..." she held up the card.

"Wynn the Wind Charmer?" Rock said, examining the card, "You always try taking peoples' cards where you come from?"

"This is the prize your friend agreed upon, so she knew the risk," the girl said, "But if want me to give this back, I'm up for another duel."

"Duel you and take my friend's card back, right?" Rock asked, and the girl nodded. He then smirked, "Well, I got so much time on my hand. Sure, why not?"

"But Rock! Are you sure about this?" Noire asked, helping Aspen to her feet, "She might be very strong..."

"Someone just took something very special away from its owner," Rock said with a smile, not taking his eyes off the girl, "We can't let that happen, right?"

"Hey, Rock," Aspen hoarsely called, "She asked me before she wanted to see what we're made of. So give her the genuine Duel Academy experience."

Rock gave a thumbs up to her, "Will do!"

"That's what I'd like to hear," the girl smirked, reactivating her duel-disk, "Let's get started, shall we?"

* * *

><p>"You see, Jaden, during my standby-phase, Armed Dragon's effect activates. So by sending one card to the graveyard, sacrificing his LV3 form, I can summon Armed Dragon LV5 directly to the field!"<p>

"Say what?" Jaden gasped.

"Now then, let's go ahead and get to it, shall we? (5) Armed Dragon LV5(5/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1700), rise!" the small dragon disappeared in a beam of light and returned as a larger one, with red and black scales, and sharper claws, fangs and buzzsaws (ATK: 2400).

* * *

><p>"Be careful, Jaden!" Bastion warned, "By leveling up, Armed Dragon's power has substantially increased, and he was plenty powerful before!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Wow, Chazz. That thing's pretty sweet," Jaden whistled, "But then, so is my trap card, Hero Ring! And I'll equip it to Burstinatrix!" his reverse-card opened, and Burstinatris was then holding a red shield, "Now, monsters with 1900-or-more ATK points can't destroy her! Them's the breaks, Chazz!"<p>

"You want breaks? I'll give you break, Jaden," Chazz laughed coldly, "Because even with that Hero Ring shield out, Armed Dragon LV5 is gonna crush your creature!"

"How?"

"Armed Dragon's special-ability, that's how! You see, by discarding a monster to the grave, I can destroy a monster of yours if it's ATK points are equal or lower than the one I tossed!"

"Wait, so-"

"_So_, if Flying Kamakiri #1 (ATK: 1500/DEF: 1100) goes to the graveyard..." Chazz discarded the monster.

* * *

><p>"Then Jaden's Burstinatrix will be in <em>big-time<em> trouble!" Syrus groaned.

* * *

><p>"Sorry, Burst," Jaden sighed to his hero, "My bad..."<p>

"Go, Armed Dragon LV5! Shrapnel Blast!" the spike on Armed Dragon's hide shot out like missiles and rained down on Burstinatrix, destroying the monster.

"And that's just his ability!" Chazz cackled, "Now, time for his direct attack: Inferno Roar!" the dragon unleased a powerful roar as the buzzsaws spun red out of its body and slammed into Jaden.

**Chazz: 4000**

**Jaden: 1600**

"So that's Duel Academy's best, huh?" Chazz scoffed at Jaden's form.

* * *

><p>"come on!" Sheppard cried, "Get up, please!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I'm fine!" Crowler stumbled up from the floor, "Thank you for your concern, though!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Nice shot," said Jaden, after he lumped back on his feet, grinning ear-to-ear, "Although, I think for my next TV broadcast, I think I'll hire a stuntman!"<p>

"...Whatever," Chazz set a reverse-card, "I'll placing one card face-down and ending my turn."

* * *

><p>"He's finally acting like a Princeton!" Slade smirked as he and his brother sat among the audience.<p>

"That's true. I just hope he doesn't win too fast."

"Huh?"

"Hey, the longer he thrashes this kid, the more we make on commercial revenues!"

The brother laughed as they watched their plan already in progress.

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

Back at the gym, both Rock and the girl stood on one of the courts with their duel-disks at the ready, "Hey, how about you give us a name? You know, just so we're a bit more familiar with each other."

"Not very gentlemanly of you," the girl said, "You never told me yours."

"Right, where are my manners?" Rock chuckled sheepishly, "It's Satoshi, but just call me Rock."

"If you insist," the girl chuckled, "You may call me Regina. Now let's get started."

**Regina: 4000**

**Rock: 4000**

"Oh and by the way, I'd appreciate it if no one did any backseat dueling," Regina held up the card again, "We would want anything bad to happen to this, would we?"

Noire gasped, "She wouldn't!"

"Don't be so sure..." Aspen muttered.

"Okay, fine," Rock said, "So are we finally gonna duel or what?"

"I was just getting to that..." Regina drew her first card, the showing Rock a monster card, "And it's already time to pave the road to my victory. By sending this (8) Hecatrice(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1100) card from my hand to the graveyard, I can replace it with the continuous-spell card Vallhalla, the Hall of the Fallen from my deck," she revealed the spell card the removed from her deck before shuffling it and adding the card to her hand, "And just so you won't wait long, I'll just play that same spell to my field," right after she played the card, the light around them grew brighter as they were now standing in a large stone hall with a red carpet running towards a marble throne at Regina's end, "Here's how it works: while I don't have any monsters on my field at the moment, I can special-summon a fairy-type monster from my hand. And who better than to start off the battle than the greek goddess of combat herself, (9) Athena(7/ATK: 2600/DEF: 800)!" in a flash of light from above, a woman in long blonde hair descended into the hall, wearing a white combat robe and silver helmet. She held a large white shield in her left hand and a decorative silver pike in her right (ATK: 2600).

"A level-7 monster on the very first turn...?" Noire gasped in awe.

"And since it's a special-summon, I can summon the (10) Fairy Archer(3/ATK: 1400/DEF: 600) from my hand!" a small pixie in blue appeared with yellow wings and a golden, heat-shaped bow in hand (ATK: 1400), "And this is where Athena's ability comes into play. When another fairy-type monster is summoned to the field, you take 600 points of damage!" Athena pointed her staff and fired a beam of light that hit Rock right in the chest.

**Regina: 4000**

**Rock: 3400**

"And then I activate Fairy Archer's effect," Fairy Archer pulled back on her bow and aimed it at Rock, "Not that it matters now, but she'll be unable to attack on that turn. But she can then deal 400 points of damage for each light-attribute monster on my field. So do the math." the archer released the string and fired a glowing arrow of light. One arrow became two as the struck Rock.

**Regina: 4000**

**Rock: 2600**

"Next I activate Athena's second effect," Regina said as Fairy Archer vanished, "by sacrificing a fairy-type monster on my field, I can summon a fairy-type monster from my graveyard. And it doesn't matter if it's the same monster I sacrificed; so I'll resummon Fairy Archer!" the archer returned (ATK: 1400), "And since another fairy is summoned in Athena's presence, you take yet another 600 points of damage." Athena fired another ray of light.

**Regina: 4000**

**Rock: 2000**

"And since Fairy Archer is brought back, she's treated as a new monster. So I'll activate her special-ability once again!" the archer fired two more arrows at Rock.

**Regina: 4000**

**Rock: 1200**

"You done already?" Rock groaned.

"Fortunately for you, I am. I place one card face-down and end my turn." Regina concluded with a reverse-card.

"Nice moves, I admit it..." Rock drew his sixth card, "Not you get to see mine! And let's start things off by summoning Robot Master-Wood Man!" the robot with the stumpy wooden hide appeared (ATK: 1600), "Next I activate the spell Double Summon to even things up! So I summon (14) Robot Master-Elec Man(4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1200) from my hand!" the monster summoned wore a red-and-black jumpsuit, yellow gauntlets and boots and a bolt-shaped mask (ATK: 1600), "Now to get the properly equipped with their equip-spells: Wood Man-Leaf Shield and Elec Man-Thunder Beam! And with new cards come new abilities! First, Elec Man can use his Thunder Beam to switch your precious Athena to DEF mode!" Elec Man fired a bolt of electricity that coursed through Athena and forced her on her knees (DEF: 800), "Sure, he can't attack the turn he uses this, but there's someone to do it for him. Right, Wood Man?" Wood Man sent his razor leaves towards Fairy Archer and destroyed her.

**Regina: 3800**

**Rock: 1200**

"I almost forgot the best part about Thunder Beam," Rock continued, "Whatever monster hit by it will be completely paralyzed and leave them unable to switch modes; and as a bonus to Elec's ability it also negates thiers. So good luck dealing with that! That ends my turn!"

"Patience is a virtue. You should wait until I play my trap card Solumn Wishes," Regina opened her reverse-card, "Not my turn starts, and by drawing I get 500 extra life-points." a drizzle of stardust fell over her.

**Regina: 4300**

**Rock: 1200**

"And to start, I activate the spell card Celestial Transformation," Regina played the quick-play spell card, "This allows me to summon a fairy-type monster from my hand, like (11) Tethys, Goddess of Light(5/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1800)," in a flare of light, an angel-like woman appeared in a white gown and a pair of detachable wings (ATK: 2400), "Of course, she must be destroyed at the end-phase, and until then her ATK points are cut in half (ATK: 1200)..."

"Is...okay, I'll bite."

"See for yourself. I activate the Spellbook inside the Pot spell card, which lets both of us draw three cards from our deck," both players drew their cards, "And now Tethys' ability goes into effect," Regina revealed a monster card, "Any time I draw a fairy-type monster, I can draw yet another card from my deck," she drew another card, and showed it, "It looks like I drew another fairy. So I get to draw again," the process repeated once more, "And yet another fairy," and drew another card, "I think that will be all for now. Beside, my Solumn Wishes trap has its own effect. And since I drew cards four times, I get a total of 2000 life-points."

**Regina: 6300**

**Rock: 1200**

"Next I activate the continuous-spell card Court of Justice," after Regina played the spell, a large golden ring appeared over the hall, surrounded by a pair of winged orbs, "This allows me to summon a fairy-type monster from my hand, provided I control a level-1 fairy on my field. And this is where this next monster comes in: (12) Freya, Spirit of Victory(1/ATK: 100/DEF: 100)," the monster summoned was a young teen with lilac-colored hair with a fruit-shaped ornament, wearing a same-colored cheerleader uniform with glowing rings over her wrists and ankles (DEF: 100), "And combined with the Court of Justice, Freya will guide this next fairy to the field," Freya shook her pompoms and danced over the ring, which shone brightly and a young woman with short blonde hair descended through the ring, covered in a shroud of feathers. When she landed, the feathers unfurled into a giant pair of wings, revealing her white-and-gold gown and tassel over her shoulders (ATK: 2800), "My Guardian Angel Joan(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2000)."

"All those monsters in one turn!" Noire grimaced, "How is he supposed to beat that?"

"And I almost forgot to mention a little fun-fact: Freya happens to be inspired after the Norse goddess of love, fertility and battle. The 'battle' part being that she has a special effect that boosts the morale of her fellow fairies, as well as their ATK and DEF by 400."

Tethys, Goddess of Light: (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1300)

Athena: (ATK: 3000/DEF: 1200)

Guardian Angel Joan:(ATK: 3200/DEF: 2400)

Freya, Spirit of Victory: (ATK: 500/DEF: 500)

"Now to wage battle. Tethys, attack his Elec Man," Tethys formed a ball of light in her hands while Elec Man fired a bolt of electricity. The two attacks hit their targets and both monsters were destroyed, "And now your Wood Man is next. Joan, attack!" Joan threw an orb of light at Wood Man.

Rock let out a smirk, "You didn't think it was gonna be that easy, didya? Wood Man, show 'er your Leaf Shield!" the wooden Robot Master brought together the leaf plates and blocked the attack, "And not only can he block your attack, he can deal 100 ATK points for each card in my hand," he brought up his four cards, "So thanks for the free cards; that was nice of ya." the blades scattered and flew towards Joan and attacked her (ATK: 2800).

"Those Robot Masters do have tricks after all," Regina said and set a reverse-card, "I'll place one card face-down and end my turn."

"My turn," Rock drew his next card, "I summon Robot Master-Cut Master!" the scissored robot appeared (ATK: 1000), "And to equip him I'll use Cut Man's Rolling Cutter! As for it's effect, Cut Man use Rolling Cutter!" Cut Man removed the scissors and tossed at the angel, which struck the monster as it passed (ATK: 2500), "And that's when Cut's effect follows along: when a monster's points are lowered, his Rolling Cutter makes a return trip to lower all your monsters' ATK points by 200!" the scissors returned and struck Regina's monsters.

Athena: (ATK: 2800/DEF: 1200)

Guardian Angel Joan:(ATK: 2700/DEF: 2400)

Freya, Spirit of Victory: (ATK: 0/DEF: 500)

"Next I activate a spell card from my hand called Warp Beam!" Rock played the spell on his duel-disk, "This let me summon a level-4 Robot Master straight from my deck; or in this case everyone's favorite Blue Bomber! Come on out, Mega Man!" a beam of light shot down to the field and the blue armored humanoid machine appeared (ATK: 1000), "And the last card in my hand, the spell card Mystery Tank!" he played a spell with an 'M'-marked tank on it, "Now I get to draw 2 cards for each monster that's Mega Man or a Robot Master! There's 3 on my field, so guess what..." he drew six more cards, "I get to draw 6 cards! Now to give Mega an item of his own, his Mega Booster equip-spell!" Mega Man's right arm changed into a cannon (ATK: 1800), "Let's get this show on the road! Wood Man, attack with Leaf Shield!" Wood Man sent his leaf plates at Athena.

"I activate the Draining Shield trap," Regina opened her reverse-card and a barrier formed around the fairy and deflected the leaves, "Not only is Athena safe, your monster's ATK points are added to my life-points."

**Regina: 7900**

**Rock: 1200**

"Too bad you can use that twice in a row! Mega Man, attack!" Mega Man fired a blast from his cannon and destroyed the fairy, "How'd you like that! Now I place a card face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

"Then it's my turn," Regina drew her next card.

**Regina: 8400**

**Rock: 1200**

"It's time mor a change of scenery. I activate the field-spell Sanctuary in the Sky," she played the field-spell, the outer walls of the hall crumbled, showing that they were in the middle of an endless sea of clouds with a roman-like palace far behind Regina, "Next, I play the effect of Court of Justice and summon this fairy from my hand. Allow me to introduce you to one of my personal favorites: (13) Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin(7/ATK: 2300/DEF: 2000)!" the ring rise higher and its light was brighter than before as it summon a new fairy. This one seemed to be made of clear crystal and gold accented with blue. It's left arm was a shield while its right was a blade. It hovered by the ring on its back that had a pair of large blade-like wings on it (ATK: 2300).

Noire saw that Aspen was trembling at the sight of the monster. "What's wrong?"

"That's the reason Regina was able to put my deck out of commission so easily," Aspen hissed, "Rock's in for a rough battle..."

"I don't see the big deal," Rock said, "Looks like any old monster to me."

"Well, the one thing special about Neo-Parshath, beside dealing damage through a defending monster and letting me draw for each one destroyed, is that while we're standing on my sanctuary field-spell, its power rises equal to the difference between my dominant life-points and yours."

"Wait, run that my me again?"

"The difference, in this case, is 7200. So that will be added to its ATK points, plus the 400-point boost from Freya's effect," Neo-Parshath rose up and the crystals reflected in the sunlight lighting itself like a giant chandelier. The academy duelist had to cover their eyes from the blinding display.

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 9900)

"Now that's a lotta points..." Rock muttered.

"And to help ensure it, I activate the spell Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your face-down card," Regina played the spell and a cyclone appeared to destroy the set card, "And with it gone, there will be no way to defend against my next assault..."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

"My go!" Jaden drew his next card, and smiled at what he got, "You're in trouble now. I play Elemental Hero Bubbleman to the field in ATK mode," the blue-armored gadget hero appeared (ATK: 800), "Also, when Bubbleman is on the field, and there are no other cards out, like right now, I'm allowed to draw 2 more cards!" he drew two more times, "And now I'll use one of them: Polymerization! To fuse Elemental Heroes Avian and Sparkman with Bubbleman to create...wait for it...Elemental Hero Tempest!" the three monsters merged into the steel-winged blaster-mounted hero appeared (ATK: 2800).

* * *

><p>"Alright!" Syrus cheered, "He's got him on the run now!"<p>

* * *

><p>"With flyboy there?" Chazz questioned.<p>

"You better believe it," Jaden nodded, "And he gives a new definition to the term 'airpower'! Glider Strike!" Tempest fired a fully-charged beam attack at the dragon and destroyed it.

**Chazz: 3600**

**Jaden: 1600**

"Thanks for that! It lets me play my trap!" Chazz drew his reverse-card, Call of the Haunted, "Do you believe in ghosts? Well you're about to, because this trap allows me to summon back any monster I want from my graveyard. And I bet you can guess which one I'm gonna pick! Armed Dragon LV5, rise!" the large dragon returned to the field (ATK: 2400).

**"Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up!"** his schoolmates screamed, **"Show no mercy!"**

"Well, I guess I'll just throw down a face-down and hope for the best..." Jaden concluded with a reverse-card.

'Go ahead,' Chazz smirked, 'Cause with what I have for you, not even your best will save you!' "Get ready for me to mop this low-rent Due Academy floor with you, Jaden!" he taunted, drawing his next card, "Because now, I'm using Armed Dragon's special-ability. I'm discarding Despair from the Dark from my hand to the graveyard and since it has 2800 ATK points, your birdman's headed to the pet cemetery! Now, Armed Dragon, destroy hero Tempest with Shrapnel Blast!" Armed Dragon launched more spikes targeted at Tempest.

"I activate the spell De-Fusion!" Jaden announced and opened his reverse-card, "Quick! De-Fuse, Tempest!" at the last second, Tempest separated back into his three basic components and dodged the entire barrage of spikes.

"Whatever. My Armed Dragon still has his attack to use. And now I'm gonna use it! Infernal Roar!" three more buzzsaws soared towards the line of heroes and destroyed Sparkman among them, "Now to take this duel to the next level, Jaden! To the highest level!"

"What?!" Jaden gasped.

"I upgrade my Armed Dragon from LV5 to LV7! Now, won't you join me, Jaden, in welcoming the ultimate and the all-powerful... The almighty (6) Armed Dragon LV7(7/ATK: 2800/DEF: 1000)!" the dragon evolved once again, growing in size and ferocity as its claws, fangs and blades grew even more sharper. The north students chanted their rep's name as the dragon introduced itself with an even mightier roar (ATK: 2800).

"Okay, so he's big..." Jaden shrugged at the dragon, "But who knows? I mean... He could be friendly..."

* * *

><p>"That's strange..." Jagger frowned at the sight of the dragon, "That monster wasn't in the suitcase I gave Chazz."<p>

"What?!"

* * *

><p>Shepard glared at Foster, who was chuckling at his favor in the duel. The duel Academy chancellor got up again, "Jaden! We're all with you!C'mon! Jaden it Up! Jaden it Up! Jaden it Up!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Show 'im how it's really done!"<p>

"Chazz it Up! Show no mercy!"

The continuous chanting caused Chazz to laugh with them, enjoying the attention he's given, "Aw, what's wrong?" he smirked at his opponent, "You're not so talkative anymore? You don't have anything to say, Jaden?"

"Yeah I do! I gotta get me one of those!" Jaden giggled, jumping in place at the dragon's appearance, "He's so cool! Trade for him?"

"No I won't 'trade for him'!" Chazz snapped, "What's wrong with you! You're should to be scared of him, not admiring him!"

"But how can I be scared of him! He's an incredible monster and this has been an incredible duel! This is so awesome, how can anyone not be excited?! I mean, this is as good as it gets! I'm stoked! This is what dueling's all about! Thanks, Chazz!"

"Thanks?! You're pitiful, Jaden! Jumping around like a fool, never taking anything serious. That's why you'll never be a champion! You see, it takes discipline to win! You need to have a sense of duty! You need to have some kind of plan!"

_**Flashback…**_

_"You set this all up, didn't you; this broadcast…?" Chazz was sitting in the locker room, confronted by his brothers._

_"Well of course we did!" Slade said, "We need the whole world to see that you're on your way to being Duel Monsters' best, Chazz. It's all in the plan."_

_"Yeah, yeah."_

_"Look, world domination is ours to the taking, if we all do our part, Chazz." Jagger said._

_"And we have. Now it's your turn, bro," Slade added, "To conquer the world of Duel Monsters. To be the best."_

_"And to not give up. __Did you really think you could get away from your duties, get away from us by dropping out of Duel Academy?!"_

_"By, uh-"_

_Jagger shot up from his seat and glared, "Don't deny it! You've always been the slacker of this family!"_

_"It doesn't matter," Slade said, "the point is, Chazz, you can still turn it around. You can still show that we're supreme!"_

_"That's right. And the dueling cards in this briefcase will help you do just that. They're the most expensive out there so you have no excuse to lose!" Jagger dropped a black metal case in front of Chazz, "Don't let us down, Chazz! Don't let the Princeton name down! Now go! **And win!**"_

…_**End Flashback.**_

"And that's why I'm going to beat you, Jaden!" Chazz became more desperate the more he went on, "That's why I'll beat anyone my way! I can beat anyone! You got that?! I can conquer the whole world!"

Jaden stared nervously, "Okaaay... Well, if you don't mind, can I take my turn first?"

"MAKE IT QUICK!"

"Chill...!" Jaden drew his next card, "Alright, I'll call out Wroughtweiler in DEF mode!" the robotic dog appeared (DEF: 1200), then a reverse-card appeared, "And I'll throw down a face-down. How that for 'quick'?"

"Not bad. But it's downright sluggish compared to how 'quick' my dragon's gonna take out all your monsters. Watch this!" Chazz drew his next card, "I'm using my Armed Dragon's special-ability! Now by discarding a monster card from my hand, I can destroy all monsters you have out with equal or fewer ATK points!"

"That's...not good." Jaden muttered.

* * *

><p>"Oh no! That'll leave Jaden wide open!" Alexis gasped.<p>

* * *

><p>"Dear me," Crowler muttered, staring at the dragon.<p>

* * *

><p>"That is one impressive special power..." admitted Zane.<p>

* * *

><p>"I discard my Armed Dragon LV3 to the graveyard, so all your monsters with 1200-or-less ATK points will be completely wiped out!" Chazz discarded his dragon, "Go, Serrated Sonic Disks! Destroy!" the dragon launched three discs of blue energy and cut through Jaden's army of monsters, leaving the field one-sided.<p>

* * *

><p>"Jaden! No!" Syrus gasped.<p>

* * *

><p>"Oh my!" Crowler squeaked from cover from the blast.<p>

* * *

><p>It's okay! You can still come back!" Shappard whined, "Jaden it Up!"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>"Chazz it Up! <strong>**Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up!"**

"Well, before Wroughtweiler goes belly-up, his special-ability gets to activates. One that lets me bring Polymerization and an Elemental Hero card to my hand!" Jaden retrieved his two card from his graveyard.

"As if it'll matter, you Duel Academy Stooge!" Chazz shrieked, "This duel's over! it's time for you...to go _bye-bye_! Armed Dragon LV7, attack Jaden directly with Dragon Talon Terror!" all watched as the dragon raised its clawed hand, ready to drop its talons over Jaden...

* * *

><p><strong>TO BE CONTINUED...<strong>

**DUEL-MON DATABASE**

**(1) Spell Reactor-RE**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV3 ATK/1200 DEF/ 900**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Once per turn, when your opponent activates a Spell Card, you can destroy the Spell Card and inflict 800 damage to your opponent.**

**(2) Trap Reactor-Y FI**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV4 ATK/800 DEF/ 1800**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: Once per turn, when your opponent activates a Trap Card, you can destroy the Trap Card and inflict 800 damage to your opponent.**

**(3) Summon Reactor-SK**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV5 ATK/2000 DEF/ 0**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: The first time a monster(s) is Summoned to your opponent's side of the field each turn, inflict 800 damage to your opponent. During the Battle Phase of the turn this effect is activated, you can negate the attack of 1 monster your opponent controls. You can send 1 face-up "Trap Reactor****・****Y FI", 1 face-up "Spell Reactor****・****RE" and this face-up card you control to the Graveyard to Special Summon 1 "Flying Fortress SKY FIRE" from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard.**

**(4) Masked Dragon**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV3 ATK/1400 DEF/ 1100**

**Attribute: FIRE**

**Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Dragon-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck.**

**(5) Armed Dragon LV3**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV3 ATK/1200 DEF/ 900**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: During your Standby Phase: You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Armed Dragon LV5" from your hand or Deck.**

**(6) Armed Dragon LV5**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV5 ATK/2400 DEF/ 1700**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: You can send 1 monster from your hand to the Graveyard to target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls with ATK less than or equal to the sent monster's ATK; destroy that target. During the End Phase, if this card destroyed a monster by battle this turn: You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Armed Dragon LV7" from your hand or Deck.**

**(7) Armed Dragon LV7**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV7 ATK/2800 DEF/ 1000**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: You can send 1 monster from your hand to the Graveyard to target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls with ATK less than or equal to the sent monster's ATK; destroy that target. During the End Phase, if this card destroyed a monster by battle this turn: You can send this face-up card to the Graveyard; Special Summon 1 "Armed Dragon LV7" from your hand or Deck.**

**(8) Hecatrice**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV4 ATK/1500 DEF/ 1100**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: You can discard this card to the Graveyard to add 1 "Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen" from your Deck to your hand.**

**(9) Athena**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV7 ATK/2600 DEF/ 800**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: Each time a Fairy-Type monster(s) is Summoned: Inflict 600 damage to your opponent. Once per turn: You can send 1 face-up Fairy-Type monster you control to the Graveyard, except "Athena", then target 1 Fairy-Type monster in your Graveyard, except "Athena"; Special Summon that target.**

**(10) Fairy Archer**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV4 ATK/1400 DEF/ 600**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: During your Main Phase, you can inflict 400 damage to your opponent for each face-up LIGHT monster you control. This card cannot attack during the same turn you activate this effect. Only one "Fairy Archer" can have its effect activated per turn.**

**(11) Tethys, Goddess of Light**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV5 ATK/2400 DEF/ 1800**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: While this card is face-up on the field, when you draw a Fairy-Type monster(s), you can reveal 1 of those monsters to draw 1 more card.**

**(12) Freya, Spirit of Victory**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV1 ATK/100 DEF/ 100**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: While you control a Fairy-Type monster other than "Freya, Spirit of Victory", your opponent's monsters cannot target this card for attacks. All Fairy-Type monsters you control gain 400 ATK and DEF.**

**(13) Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV7 ATK/2300 DEF/ 2000**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) by Tributing 1 "Airknight Parshath" you control. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent. When this card inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent: Draw 1 card. While "The Sanctuary in the Sky" is on the field and your Life Points are higher than your opponent's, this card gains ATK and DEF equal to the difference in Life Points.**

**(14) Robot Master-Elec Man**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV4 ATK/1600 DEF/ 1200**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: If an effect of a card you control activates that targets a monster on the field and switches their battle-position, the effects of those monsters are negated as long as you control this face-up monster.**

* * *

><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	30. School Duel: Part 2-Divine Judgement

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

* * *

><p>"Armed Dragon! Destroy Jaden with Dragon Talon Terror!" Armed Dragon LV7 roared in response to Chazz's command and dropped a clawed hand towards Jaden.<p>

"Not so fast, Chazz!" Jaden opened a reverse-card, "I play a trap: Hero Spirit!" before the dragon's talons could make contact, Avian suddenly appeared and took the attack for Jaden.

"What the?!" Chazz gasped, "When did you-how did you-why didn't my attack go through?!"

"Ddin't you know, Chazz? When a hero is destroyed and Hero Spirit is on the field, all the damage from your attack goes right down to zero, zip, zilch, nada!"

"Congratulations, you can use a thesaurus," Chazz joked, "It'll take more than words to beat my Armed Dragon; a lot more than any pathetic monster you have. Face it Jaden; you're toast!"

"I gotta get something started..." Jaden muttered as he drew his next card. A familiar coo made him smile as he found out what card he got, "Oh, hey there, Kuriboh, maybe you can help me get outta this jam. I summon Winged Kuriboh in DEF mode!" the small winged ball of fur appeared (DEF: 200), "That'll do for now."

"Why'd you bring him out, Jaden?" Chazz sneered at the monster, "You planning to dust around here or something?" at that the Kuriboh began squeaking in anger, "Aw, did I hurt his wittle feelings?"

_"It's okay if you did, boss. I mean, those furballs give me the creeps. Just look at 'em, all that hair! I mean, where do these monsters come from? So wierd..."_

"Get lost! If I want your opinion, I'll give it to you! Got it?!"

_"Got it, boss. Sorry..."_

Kuriboh fluttered over to perch on Jaden's back and hooted, "What're you squeaking? Chazz's got a duel-spirit?" he looked to where Kuriboh's pointing and indeed he saw it, a tiny yellow gremlin wearing nothing but a red speedo, "Hey, I see him...! So Chazz, who's your little friend?"

Chazz began to panic and tried to shoo away the spirit, "It's nothing! Just a figment of your imagination! Nothing to see here! No duel-spirits at all! Leave me alone!" he finally managed to crush the gremelin in a puff of smoke and sighed in relief, "Now back to business. It's my turn!" he drew his next card, "And your _Kuriboh's_ turn to get blasted! Armed Dragon LV7, attack with Dragon Talon Terror!" the dragon roared and ripped through Winged Kuriboh with its large talons, "And I'll leave it at that."

* * *

><p>"Wait but, why didn't he used Armed Dragon's special-ability?" Syrus wondered.<p>

"Because Kuriboh's would cancel it out," Bastion answered, "The turn in which he's destroyed, Jaden takes no damage."

* * *

><p>"My go now," Jaden drew his next card, "and I activate the spell card Pot of Greed! Now I'm allowed to draw 2 additional cards from my deckto my hand! Here's one, and here's #2!" he drew two more cards and smiled at the results, "Alright! Just the card I need to turn this duel around! And around, and around!"<p>

"Say what?!"

"Here, see for yourself! Go, Special Hurricane!" Jaden discarded from his hand before activating the spell.

"What the?!"

"That's right! By discarding a card to the graveyard, I can activate this card and destroy any monster on the field that was special-summoned!"

The wind picked up until it became a massive swirling cyclone that slammed into the Armed Dragon, slaying it with its razor-sharp gale.

"No way..." Chazz glared as the dragon became nothing but dust in the wind, "It's cant be!"

"Oh, it be, alright!" Jaden shot back, "Now _you_ be in some big-time trouble, because your best monster is _off_ the field; and you're all alone on it!"

* * *

><p>"So liscious!" Chumley smiled, "Totally wha I'd have done...I mean, if I had those cards...and Jaden were walking me through it step-by-step..."<p>

"That's all?" Bastion glanced him, "Maybe he should hold your hand as well."

"Way to play, Jay!" Syrus cheered, "Now follow through and take it to Chazz's life-points, Jay!"

* * *

><p>"You got it, Sy! I summon the Elemental Hero Wildheart!" the jungle-born Elemental Hero appeared (ATK: 1500), "Now Chazz, you're in for some heartbreak! Uh... Actually that doesn't make any sense! Uh, just attack!" yelling a battlecry, Wildhear brought out his sword and charge over with a swing, knocking Chazz to the other side of the platform.<p>

**Chazz: 2100**

**Jaden: 1600**

* * *

><p>"Ha-Ha! The prize is so mine!" Sheppard grinnend at Foster, "After all, looks like your boy is down for the count!" he then Sorry!"<p>

Foster recoiled at the in-your-face face he was given and jumped out of his seat, "Oh no he's not! Chazz! _Get up!_"

**"Chazz! Get up! Chazz! Get up! Chazz! Get up!"**

* * *

><p>"Jagger, what does Chazz think he's doing?!" snarled Slade, "We've given Chazz the best cards in the world but he's not using them!"<p>

* * *

><p>"It's...my...turn..." Chazz panted as he slowly got up and drew his next card, "I play...a spell card, Graveyard in the Forth Dimension! This baby lets me take two monsters from my graveyard, and shuffle them right into my deck. Sure, they have to be a certain kind of monster, but it's just the kind I need: my Armed Dragons!" Chazz held up his monsters to Jaden, "Oh, and I happen to have another one in my hand as well! I summon the Armed Dragon LV3!" as the baby dragon was summoned for the second time, the North students chanted one again.<p>

**"Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up!"**

"Yeah... Now Jaden's about to be all _washed_ up!"

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

"Activate, Threatening Roar!" Rock opened his reverse-card and a shockwave deflected the cyclone.

"At least that's one less nusciance out of the way," Regina said, "And I'm well aware of your Wood Man's Leaf Shield. Although it's better to erre on the side of caution. Besides, all I can do for now is avoid battle until I'm rid of anything to hinder its attack," she concluded with a reverse-card, "So I'll set this one card and end my turn."

"Alright, my turn!" Rock drew his next card, "I activate the spell Monster Recovery! This returns a monster to my hand, then returns the hand to my deck. Then after a good shuffle, I can redraw. So Cut Man, take five!" Cut Man vanished and reutned to Rock's hand. After shuffling, he reached out for his deck before he felt a brief sensation, 'Well, waddaya know...' when he drew his five cards, he was met with the familiar sight of Roll Light beside him, greeting him with a giggle and a smile, "Yeah, good to see ya too."

* * *

><p>"Who is he talking to...?" Noire wondered, looking around Rock, unable to see Rock's duel-spirit. "I think he's starting to lose his mind!"<p>

Aspen his a chuckle from the ra's worrying form, "That's just a small habit of his. Don't worry."

* * *

><p>"I place one card face-down. Next I summon a monster called (3) Eddie(3ATK: 300/DEF: 300) in DEF mode!" a small red capsule with eyes and a set of feet appeared (DEF: 300), "And what this little guy can do is give 500 life-points for each spell and trap card on the field! And since you did a real good job setting your field up, with 8 cards in total, I get 4000 extra life-points!" the monster's top popped opened and unleashed a geyser of starduest over Rock's field.

**Regina: 8400**

**Rock: 5200**

"And hey, something just occurred to me," Rock smirked, "When my life-points go up, then your monster's ATK points go down!" it was evident when the radience of Neo-Parshath dimmed.

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 5900)

"Now take a knee, guys," all of Rock's monsters switched to DEF mode, "That ends my turn." Rock concluded.

"It's my turn," Regina drew her next card.

**Regina: 8900**

**Rock: 5200**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 6400)

"I activate the spell Card of Demise, meaning I can draw until I hold five cards in my hand." Regina replenished her hand.

**Regina: 9400**

**Rock: 5200**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 6900)

"Next I play the effect of Court of Justice once again," the ring glowed with light as another fairy descended from it, "Consider yourself lucky. You got far enough that you pretty much proved yourself worthy to face the most prized fairy in my deck."

"Uh, you mean other than that overgrown chandelier hanging over our heads?" Rock pointed towards Neo-Parshath.

"Neo-Parshath may me my most potentially powerful monster, but it's not the same as being my favorite. It's this card. Come forth, (2) Splendid Venus(8/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2400)!" descended from the ring to the hall was a feminine figure of golden armor with large wings. In her hand was a decorative staff (ATK: 2800), "And not to waste any time, Venus, activate your special-ability!" Venus' body unleashed a shining aura, which the monsters on Rock's field began doubling over.

Great, what are you doing this time?" Rock groaned.

"With Venus now on my field, fairies truly reign supreme. Her effect lowers the points of every monster other than fairy-type by 500."

Mega Man: (ATK: 1300/DEF: 500)

Wood Man: (ATK: 1100/DEF: 1300)

Eddie: (ATK: 0/DEF: 0)

"And now that we have another monster on the field, I'll activate my trap card, The Spell Absorbing Life," Regina opened her reverse-card, "Now for every monster currently in play, I receive 400 life-points."

**Regina: 12200**

**Rock: 5200**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 9700)

"And for the finishing touch, I equip the spell card Cetus of Dalga onto my Neo-Parshath, giving my monster 500 additional ATK points." Parshath's weapons were now replaced with a pair of curved blades.

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 10200)

"Now to witness the true power of the fairies. Venus, you may lead the charge against that annoying Wood Man." Venus fired a beam of light from her staff.

"Activating Leaf Shield!" Rock's wooden robot blocked Venus' attack, before attacking her with his leaf blades.

Splendid Venus: (ATK: 2500)

"It's a shame you can only use that Leaf Shield once per turn. Now, Joan, finish what Venus left off," Joan shot a ball of light at Eddie and destroyed the machine, "And when Joan destroys a monster in battle, that monster's original ATK points are used to increase my life-points."

**Regina: 12700**

**Rock: 5200**

"And now, Neo Parshath, it's time to show them your extraordinary power. But first a little more power. I activate the quick-play spell card Mystic Wok and sacrifice my Guardian Angel Joan," Regina played the spell and Joan vanished, "And now her ATK points will be used to increase my life-points, as well as your ATK points."

**Regina: 15000**

**Rock: 5200**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 13000)

"Attack the blue robot!" Neo-Parshath glowed even brighter as it aimed its sword to fire a beam of light.

"Activating trap card, Nutrient Z!" Rock opened his reverse-card, "When I'm about to take at least 2000 points of damage from an attack, I get 4000 extra first! And don't worry about Mega Man! It may cost him his Mega Buster, but he's safe!"

**Regina: 15000**

**Rock: 9200**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 9000)

Regina smirked, "But you're not." Mega Man stood strong against the attack, but the damage still went through.

**Regina: 15000**

**Rock: 700**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 17500)

* * *

><p>Noire sighed, "That was close..."<p>

"That was clever," Aspen said, "That Nutrient Z trap not only gave him 4000 extra points of life, it also weakened Regina's monster, thus weakening the damage he took. Who knew there were many uses to Nutrient Z..."

* * *

><p>"You're more evasive than I figured," Regina set a reverse-card, "Of course, since Neo-Parshath destroyed a monster in battle, I get to draw one more card." Regina drew her card.<p>

**Regina: 15500**

**Rock: 700**

"And there's one more thing I almost forgot to mention. Since it also inflicted damage during battle, I receive just as much life-points."

**Regina: 24000**

**Rock: 700**

Neo-Parshath, the Sky Paladin: (ATK: 26000)

"I take back what I said before. That's a lotta points!" Rock shielded his eyes as Neo-Parshath's radiance shrouded the entire gym, "Anyone have an extra pair of shades?"

"I'm glad you could still retain a sense of humor even with all that's stacked against you," Regina smirked, "That's good. That means I haven't taken all the fight out of you. I'll place this one card face-down and that will be all." a reverse-card appeared.

'Actually that's pretty much all I can do at this point,' Rock thought, his eyes darting around his surroundings, 'I mean seriously! Who can stand up to a monster with over 20000 ATK points! Not that it's impossible, more like near-impossible, but even I don't think I can beat that thing...' he then reminded himself of the stakes he's in, and Aspen's apart of, "Wait a minute, of course there's a way! And like they say, when there's a will there's a way! And I will get Aspen's card back!' "Besides, you'll never know 'til you try; so let's give a try! I draw!" Rock drew his next card and looked at it, "Alright, here's a card you might be familiar with. With the spell Graceful Charity, I can draw 3 card so long as I ditch 2 after," after activation and drawing his three cards, he became happy with the results and so was Roll. The two traded a nod before he discarded his two cards, "Now we're getting somewhere! So let's see how it goes!" Rock slapped a monster card on his disk, which became the young blonde ponytail girl with in the red dress, "Meet Roll Light (ATK: 500)!"

"It's a pleasure," Regina greeted with a light bow, "I was hoping to get a chance to face a duelist and his duel-spirit as one unit," his smirk grew seeing the shocked look on Rcok's face, "You heard right; I knew she was there."

'Really! Well, that explains everything...' Rock thought, 'I guess there's only one solution!' "Let's see how you face Roll in her prime! Activating Hyper Formation!" he slappe the spell card into his duel-disk and watched it come to life, "And here's the recipe to get me back on top! First, 3-parts Rush, Beat and Eddie, which are sleeping in my graveyard!" and from a flash of light in his grave slot, Eddie appeared with Mega Man's canine companion, along with a spherical blue bird, "Mix 'em with a monster on my field and see what happens!" the mechanical animals glowed their respective primary colors and formed a perimeter around Roll, creating three columns of light around her before merging over her. That column broke and there now stood a young-adult girl in red and silver armor. She wore the same green-ribbon-tied blonde ponytail with the added addition of metal antennae (ATK: 4000), "I'll put it in layman's terms: when Rush, Beat and Eddie are anywhere on my field or in my graveyard, I can use Hyper Formation to transform a specific monster of mine by bringing them all back to my deck. I always imagined my first time playing it was going to be on my Mega Man. But just for you, I got someone else in mind. Now Roll Light has become (4) Hyper Roll Light(10/ATK: 4000/DEF: 2000)!"

"All of that flourish used to trade one weak monster for a sub-par one," Regina chuckled, "As powerful as your duel-spirit has become, it still stands no chance against my Neo-Parshath. Not to mention my Splendid Venus makes your monster 500 points weaker.

Hyper Roll Light: (ATK: 3500/DEF: 1500)

"Then wait until you see her own special-ability!" Roll's antennae becan crackling with electricity that soon traveled down her body, "As soon as Hyper Roll Light steps out to the field, all spell/trap cards on the field are destroyed! And here's the better part: when Mega Man's out with her, then only your cards are destroyed!" Roll let out a shout as the electricity burst out from her.

* * *

><p>"But what about her monsters?" Noire wondered, "Doesn't he need to worry about them too?"<p>

Aspen smirked, "Don't forget, Neo-Parshath's special-ability relating to its power is solely linked to the Sanctuary in the Sky field-spell. No field-spell, and all of those extra points go with it."

* * *

><p>"I didn't summon such a powerful monster just to let it go to waste," Regina frowned and pressed a button on her disk and opened a reverse-card, "So I had another Mystic Wok ready for such a situation," the quick-play took effect before Roll's voltage pierced it and Neo-Parshath vanished with it and the rest of Regina's spells,. And without the Hall or Sanctuary, everyone was sent back to the Duel Academy gymnasium, "Now it's ATK points go to my life-points."<p>

**Regina: 50000**

**Rock: 700**

"And that's supposed to scare me?" Rock smirked, "Without that giant celing lamp all you got on the offensive is Splendid Venus. And once she's gone it's smooth sailing from here on out. Hyper Roll Light, show Venus what you're made of!" Roll nodded and steeled herself as he armor glowed a bright rainbow, "It's your turn to take the spotlight! Go, Aphrodai Trinity!" she thrust out and the light flash forth, launching as a glowing red Rush from her chest and a blue Beat and yellow Eddie from her legs. The mechanical beasts made a daring charge against Splendid Venus and rammed through her, leaving a rainbow-colored triangle as the passed. With Venus paralyzed, Roll charged forth herself with a golden sword with a pink heart at the guard. Gripping it with both hands she pulled back and swung the blade with full strength...

But Venus vanished from the field, making Roll propell herself with all her wasted effort and fell flat on her face.

"What gives?!" Rock exclaimed. He looked from the duel towards Regina, who had her hand laid on her duel-disk.

"But...doesn't that mean..."

Aspen nodded and finished for Noire, "She forfeited."

"Hold up! You can't just up and give up just because the scales tipped!" Rock argued, "I mean c'mon! I even went through all this trouble think up a name for Roll to attack with!"

"Don't get the wrong idea," Regina protested, "The reason I challenged you to begin with is to test the ability of the Duel Academy students. Winning was not my aim here."

Rock blinked, dumbfounded, "It's not?!"

"It's not...?" Noire repeated, "I don't get it...?"

"I don't care," Aspen scolded and stepped up, "You lost the duel so you better make good on your word and give back the card you took."

"Yes, I supposed there's that, isn't it?" Regina brought out the card and tossed it to Aspen who caught it. "I guess my job here is done," she walked passed the three students before looking back over her shoulder, "I'm sure we'll cross paths again one day," she chuckled and waved off as she made her way to the exit, "I'll see you around...Rock."

When Regina was out of sight, Rock went to the two girls, "You know-"

"Let me stop you right there..." Aspen interrupted, "Listen, I don't wanna be blamed for not showing gratitude so...thank for sticking up for me back there."

"Don't mention it!" Rock shrugged, "So, you got a duel-spirit too, don't 'ya?"

That brought a smirk on Aspen's face, "You might wanna take a recount..." she brought out three other cards and Wynn the Wind Chamrmer appeared beside her, along with her sisters Hiita, Eria and Aussa.

"Okay, you got four duel-spirits," Rock's own spirit Roll Light revealed herself and greeted the Charmer sisters. Soon the girls were becoming best friends, "I think Roll's finally got another girl to talk to."

"Judging from what happened I'm guessing someone knows we have spirits among us," Aspen said.

"Care guessing why Regina went through all that trouble trying to catch ours?" Rock asked, "I mean they're duel-monsters, not pokemon."

"Who knows. But the important thing is that she's out of our hair. Remember, we were in the middle of finding Jason before we got interrupted."

"Right! I was so focused on the duel completely forgot!" Rock remembered, "Stupid multitasking..."

"But where are w supposed to look?" Noire asked, "I'm sure we searched everywhere."

"He couldn't have just disappeared," Aspen said, "Now c'mon, we'll exchange notes and figure out a plan from there..."

* * *

><p><strong>Meanwhile...<strong>

'I have to win this! I can't let my brothers down!' Chazz steeled himself into believing as he loked up into the crowd towards his brothers, who were staring intently at him. He could almost hear them loud and clear in his thoughts.

_"World Domination is ours for the taking!"_

_"You need to become Duel Monsters' best!"_

"I'm trying!" he yelled.

"Um, trying what?" Jaden asked, being an earshot away from him, "Trying to wierd me out? Hello! Earth to Chazz..." he followed his opponent's line of sight towards the two men in the dark suits. Jaden thought back to when he overheard Chazz in the locker room, 'So that's whe he was flipping out earlier, because of all the pressure his brothers put on him. Poor guy, he's gotta realize the only thing worth dueling for is fun."

* * *

><p>"Jaden!" Syrus voice called out to him, forcing him to break his daze, "C'mon, buddy! You gotta turn this duel around! You gotta show everyone what's up, Jay!"<p>

* * *

><p>'Wait a sec, That's it!' Jaden nodded, realizing what he had to do, "I gotta win this duel now; to show Chazz what dueling's really about!" he took a deep breath, 'Alright, Jaden. It's time that you get your game on,' he gave a fierce look at Chazz, "Let's duel!"<p>

"Whad'ya think we've _been_ doing?" Chazz chuckled, the North students laughing with him.

**"Chazz it Up! Go! Beat him!"**

"Alright, try cheering this!" Jaden drew his next card, "Wildheart, attack that Armed Dragon! Wild Slash!" Wildheart raised his sword and slayed the dragon with a single slash.

"Thanks for that. Now I can play my trap!" Chazz opened his reverse-card, "It's called The Grave of the Enkindling! And since a monster was destroyed in battle, it lets us _both_ take a monster from our graveyard and summon it to the field in DEF mode! And I choose another Armed Dragon...and he's _LV5_!" the middle-aged dragon rose back to the field (DEF: 1700).

* * *

><p>"Grave of the Enkindling made that way too easy, it's practically unfair!" Syrus groaned, "Isn't there aby drawback to using it?"<p>

"If I recall correctly, by rule the ressurected monster must remain in DEF mode," Bastion explained, "Of course that's really a moot point. After all, with LV5's special-ability, by discarding a monster from his hand to the graveyard, Chazz can destroy one of Jaden's monster whose ATK points are less than or equal to the monster Chazz discarded."

* * *

><p>"Well? What are you waiting for?" Chazz glared impatiently, "Resurrect! Take a monster out of your graveyard! But I should warn you, it'll be a round trip."<p>

"Uh, monster? Sorry, but I think you mean monsters!"

Chazz scoffed, "Please! What are you talking about? That Grave of Enkindling only lets you bring one monster back!"

Jaden only smiled as he took a monster out, "I bring back (1) Hero Kid(2/ATK: 300/DEF: 600) from the graveyard!" a high-tech spacesuit appeared with a red-masked boy inside (DEF: 600).

"What the?! He wasn't in your graveyard, Jaden!"

"Think again. Remember when I played Special Hurricane?" Jaden reminded him.

"Oh. Yeah..." Chazz groaned.

"And like I said, it's not just him. Because when Hero Kid is special-summoned, just like he was by that Grave of Enkindling? Well then, Chazz, I get to call out every other Hero Kid that I have in my deck!" two more Hero Kids appeared (DEF: 600x2), "And now, I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn."

Chazz chuckled, "I see. By playing three monsters, you think I'll have to discard three cards to destroy them, right?" he held up his hand, "You wish. I don't have to discard 'three' cards, I just have to play _one_!"

* * *

><p>"Okay, this is bad..." Syrus whimpered.<p>

* * *

><p>"Play one card? I don't like the sound of this one bit!" Sheppard wondered.<p>

* * *

><p>"Alright, here goes! I activate the spell card Level Up!"<p>

Jaden gulped as Chazz activated the spell.

* * *

><p>"What's Level Up do?" Sheppard asked.<p>

* * *

><p>"Wow, guess it's true: Those who can't duel, teach! What it does is let me level up a monster. And I choose..." Chazz pointed at his dragon, "Armed Dragon, now LV7!" once again the gragon grew into its final form (ATK: 2800).<p>

* * *

><p>"Yes!" Slade and Jagger smiled.<p>

* * *

><p>"Yes!" Foster pumped his fist.<p>

* * *

><p>"No!" Zane gasped, "With thai, Chazz can destroy all of Jaden's monsters again!"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>"Chazz it Up! Chazz it Up! Chazz! It! Up!"<strong>

"I've been waiting a long time to tell you this, Jaden, so listen up!" Chazz smirked with a closed fist, "_'I got my game on!'_ And I'm about to turn yours _off_!"

The cameras circled the field as its lenses focused on the snarling dragon, "That's it, baby! The whole world's watchign you shine!"

"Then keep it rolling because you ain't seen nothing yet! Next I throw the equip-spell card, Armed Changer! Now, simply by discarding another equip-spell card from my hand to the graveyard, I can activate this baby, and equip it to my dragon!" Armed Dragon's right claw was then fitted with a three-pronged drilled glove, "Now Armed Dragon, attack! Dragon Driller!" the glove rotated with a deep-red energy as the dragon destroyed Wildheart with a powerful rabbit punch.

**Chazz: 2100**

**Jaden: 300**

"And now Armed Changer's effect activate! See, when he take down a monster in battle, it lets me to bring a monster back from my grave to my hand, just so long as it doesn't have more ATK points than the monster it destoryed. I think i'll bring back Masked Dragon," Chazz retrieved the card from his graveyard, "But he won't be around for long, because now I'm going to use Armed Dragon LV7's special-ability!"

* * *

><p>"Oh man..." Syrus groaned.<p>

* * *

><p>"This should be good." Slade sneered.<p>

* * *

><p>Zane shook his head, "That ability will send Masked Dragon to the graveyard, and thencrush any beasts with less ATK points."<p>

* * *

><p>"Now Armed Dragon, trouce those triplets! Serrated Sonic Disks!" the dragon roared as it launched three more glowing sawblades that destroyed all three Hero Kids, "Looks like your Hero Kids just got grounded!" he snickered, "Grounded <em>up<em>!" Chazz laughed harder, "Tell you what, if you surrender now, I promise not to embarrass you on global TV! Oh wait, _I already did!_" he kept cackling.

* * *

><p>"Hey, it's not that funny..." Syrus frowned as Chazz continued to laugh.<p>

* * *

><p>"Jaden! Keep fighting!" Sheppard waved his hands frantically, "Don't give up!"<p>

* * *

><p>"Who's giving up? I mean I'm having way too much fun to give up!" Jaden smiled at his opponent, "After all, that's what dueling's all about, win <em>or<em> lose. Because if you're having fun, you win _every_ time!"

"Gag me!" Chazz scoffed.

"It's true!" Jaden grinned, "And if I can have fun right now losing, shouldn't you be able to _winning_? It's seriously not that hard...despite what your brothers want you to believe..."

"What?! What do you know about my brothers?!" Chazz snapped.

"Well. For starters, Chazz, I know they're the ones you're dueling for..." Jaden glanced over to the two older Princetons, "And the ones putting all this pressure on you, too," Chazz only growled, but was loud enough for Jaden to hear, "Aw, c'mon Chazz, remember when you dueled for the excitement of it?"

"...I only duel to win..."

"Well we'll see where that gets ya," Jaden drew his next card, "I play The Warrior Returning Alive! Now I can bring a warrior back from my grave and to my hand. And I think I'll choose my favorite feathered firend, Elemental Hero Avian!" he added the monster to his hand, "And then, with Polymerization, and Burstinatrix, I'll make the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"

Chazz watched as the emerald-winged hero merged with his fire-bending partner into the mighty dragonhead-armed hero (ATK: 2100), "So? He doens't stand a chance against my monster! After all, the Armed Dragon LV7 has 2800 ATK points! you're way outmatched!"

"Wrong, Chazz. 'Cause I'm inviting my 3 Hero Kids to come back out and play with us!"

Gasps and murmurs were heard after Jaden announced his plan.

"To 'play'?"

"Yeah. With your _points_! I play Miracle Kids!" Jaden opened the reverse-card, "Here's how it works: for every Hero Kid I've in the grave, your Armed Dragon loses 400 ATK points! And since I have 3, Armed Dragon's ATK points decrease by 1200!" the card fired three separate bolts of energy that struck the Armed Dragon.

Armed Dragon LV7: (ATK: 1600)

"Now who's outmatched! Actually, don't answer that; Flame Wingman will for ya!"

"Chazz is gonna lose!" the director cried, "Cut the transmission! Cut it right now!"

Chazz screamed as his Armed Dragon fell to a blazing heap, leaving behind nothing but ash.

**Chazz: 1600**

**Jaden: 300**

* * *

><p>"Alright!" Syrus cheered, "Jaden just took out the Armed Dragon with just one attack!"<p>

"And the assault's not over yet, Syrus. The Flame Wingman still has his 'superpower'," Bastion said, "It comes next."

"Yeah, and it's gonna really burn Chazz," Alexis added, "His life-points will now take damage equal to his destroyed monster's ATK points: 2800!"

* * *

><p>Chazz fell to his knees as his remaining life-points dropped, "NOOOOOO!"<p>

**Chazz: 0**

**Jaden: 300**

"And that's game!" Jaden saluted as his fellow schoolmates cheered behind him.

Chazz never acknowledged anything outside his slump, except of course for the couple pairs of feet stomping towards him.

"You loser! You _dog_! You've discraced yourself, you've discraced the Princeton name!"

"You are no brother of ours anymore!"

"Just give me another chance..." Chazz panted.

"'Another chance'?!" Jagger exclaimed, "You know how much we spent on this duel?!"

"The cameras, the cards..." Slade followed, "None of which you used, _I might add_!"

"Sorry... I thought I can win this duel by myself..."

"_Yourself_?!" Jagger screamed, snatching his youngest brother by the collar and heaving him off his feet.

"When could you do _anything_ by yourself, Chazz?!" Slade exclaimed.

"Leave him alone!" the brothers turned to see Jaden, flanked by his friends, confronting them, "Yeah, sure he lost, but how could he with you two jerks breathing down his neck?"

"'Two jerks'?!" Jagger snapped, "Do you have any idea who we are?! We could have you **_crushed_**, kid!"

"Oh my! They could have Jaden **_crushed_**?" Crowler muttered, hiding against the latform, "Maybe those two aren't so bad after all."

"Why defend Chazz anyhow?!" Slade demanded, "He's a nobody now! Disowned by us, and by the whole world! I mean, the cameras caught _enough_ of it! He got _schooled_! He got **_mopped up_**!"

Jagger yanked his brother to him to meet his glare, "That's right! And then worse of all he got _**BEAT**_!"

"Wrong!" Jaden snapped, "There's one fight he did win...the fight against you two! Sure, Chazz may not have won the duel but hey, at least he fought it on his own terms! It's like he said: he used his _own_ cards, not what money can buy!"

"Right on, Jaden!" Crowler cheered, in a crying fit, "...I mean, you no good Slifer Slacker!"

Jaden continued glaring at the brothers until Jagger decided to release Chazz, "Tight duel, Chazz. And it may sound cheessy, but I think we both won here."

"You're just saying that..." Chazz muttered as he stumbled back to his feet, "I mean, c'mon...nobody else believes that..."

_"We do, Chazz!"_

_"Same here!"_

_"Yeah! All the way!"_

The arena was soon filled of people chanting his name, from both North Academy and Duel Academy. And the older Princeton brothers were standing right in the middle of it, "I don't have time for this garbage..."

"You can't be leaving so soon," the others looked over and parted for Principal MacKenzie to approach the brothers before they could march off, "We still have one more duel left."

"And we should care, why?" Jagger growled.

"We only brought these cameras to make Chazz look good," Slade said, "But since he failed to do his part, it's meaningless now!"

"You two consider each other to be businessmen, yes?" MacKenzie asked.

"What of it?"

"Wouldn't you gain more profit by seeing this event through rather than quitting halfway? You may be able to scavange something, or someone, that can be of use to you in the future."

"Let me guess, you want us to sponsor your school." Slade said.

"You assume to much," MacKenzie shrugged, "I merely share the same opinion as if I were watching this event on the television. If you quit halfway and deprive the worldwide audience of watching the final match, they may turn against you just for, as they would put it, half-baking it," the two bothers looked at each other, concerned, "So what is your decision?"

Slade turned back to the principal, "Alright, you convinced us. But this better be worthwhile!" the bothers then took off from the arena.

"I'm sure it will," MacKenzie then glared over to Jaden, smiling, "After all, everyone is counting on you to to do your part in giving what the audience came for. I'm sure my duelist will do the same." he then stepped off the arena soon after.

'Alright, only one duel to go...' Jaden thought, spotting David Rabb standing over the roaring crowd, 'But I need to do more than just duel. After all, there's one more friend in need...'

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Hero Kid**

**Stats: [Warrior/Effect] LV2 ATK/300 DEF/ 600**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: When this card is Special Summoned, you can Special Summon any number of "Hero Kid"(s) from your Deck.**

**(2) Splendid Venus**

**Stats: [Fairy/Effect] LV8 ATK/2800 DEF/ 2400**

**Attribute: LIGHT**

**Effect: All non-Fairy-Type monsters lose 500 ATK and DEF. The activation andeffects of Spell/Trap Cards you control cannot be negated.**

**(3) Eddie**

**Stats: [Machine/Effect] LV3 ATK/300 DEF/ 300**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: Once per turn during your main-phase, you can activate this effect: you can gain life-points equal to the number of spell/trap cards on the field x500.**

****(4) Hyper Roll Light****

****Stats: [Machine/Fusion/Effect] LV10 ATK/4000 DEF/2000****

****Attribute: LIGHT****

****Effect:** This card can only be Special Summoned by 'Hyper Formation.' (This is treated as a fusion-summon.) This card is treated as 'Roll Light.' This card is also treated as a Warrior-Type. When this card is special-summoned, Pay half your life points: Destroy all Spells/Traps on the field and all cards in both players' hands. If 'Mega Man' is on the field: Only the opponent is affected by this effect and is this monster is uneffected by Monster Effects. When this card is removed from the field or destroyed: remove it from play and special summon 'Roll,' 'Rush,' 'Eddie,' and 'Beat' from your Deck or Graveyard in DEF with 0 ATK.**

* * *

><p>Please Read and Review.<p> 


	31. School Duel: Part 3-Arial Bombardment

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

* * *

><p>After the second round against North Academy, Jaden was preparing his cards in the locker room for the final part against the American Academy. After see what their representative David Rabb and what he was capable of, he planned to be extra careful against those Reactor monsters.<p>

"The first time we saw David Duel he totally dominated it," and he wasn't alone, Chumley and Syrus were there to aid him, "Those Reactor monsters are serious business!"

"Thought of a plan yet, Jay?" Syrus asked.

"Not since the last five times you asked," Jaden replied, "But if either of you got any ideas I'm all ears."

"I'm glade to held bud, but…" Chumley rubbed his head sheepishly, "I got nothing."

Syrus' head bowed limp, "Ditto…"

A few moments later someone else joined them as Rock, Noire and Aspen entered the room.

"No, we weren't able to find him," Aspen blurted out, before Jaden could get the question out of his mouth. The slifer trio sighed and went back to his cards.

"Man, I haven't this much stress before a Duel before…" Jaden said, "Not that I remembered."

"You're telling me," Rock said, "Did you see what David did back there?"

"I think we all saw it; that's the whole point," everyone saw Zane, Alexis and Bastion enter the room, "David has well-demonstrated his dueling skills, more specifically his skills with that Reactor series."

"And that special-ability that deals damage in response to any card an opponent plays…" Alexis added, "That's definitely not something you could take likely."

"You said it…" Jaden said, "If David's got something like that in his deck, I don't wanna make any mistakes."

"Perhaps we're looking at this the wrong way," Bastion said, "We know what potential David holds with those reactor monsters. But we may see it as a great threat because of how Jason had performed against them. He was the one facing them yet he used no strategy to counter them. Even when he was able to hold them back for the moment he still ran head-on into David's trap. So if you think about it, it was actually Jason's lousy performance that David seemed to pose a greater threat than…" Bastion trailed off when he noticed the scowls he was getting from his friends, "Yes, I know, but a little optimism never hurt anyone."

"He does make a good point," Aspen said, drawing attention to her, "Jason dueled like he was flying blind, not caring about the danger in front of him. And he not only made himself look bad, but us as well. He did lousy as a rep."

"Maybe instead of assigning blame maybe we should spend what little time we got working up a strategy," Alexis said.

"I'm just assigning blame where is due," Aspen replied, "Besides, it's not like we can turn back time and give him a second chance."

"Actually…that gives me an idea!" now it was Rock's turn to gain attention…

* * *

><p>"Welcome back, students, to the annual School Duel!" the audience cheered at the stands for the final match. And this time Anais is the one refereeing, "Not to introduce our two finalists! From the American Academy, we reintroduce David Rabb!" the American duelist stood on one end of the platform, most of the girls practically swooning over him, "And from here in Duel Academy, I present our sole representative, Jaden Yuki!" from the other side the Slider Red student stepped onto the platform, with a solemn, confident look on his face, "Now, both of you shuffle and cut each other's decks to ensure a fair game," the two met each other in the middle and exchanged cards. After shuffling, they traded back and returned to their positions, "Now then, the stage is set, so let the final match commence!" at the sound of Anais' staff hitting the floor, both duelists activated their due!-disks and drew their starting hand.<p>

"LET'S DUEL!"

**David: 8000**

**Jaden: 8000**

* * *

><p>" Here we go," Syrus said, "Do you think we could pull it off?"<p>

"It has to work," Zane said, "There's a lot on the line here so we can't even _think_ of losing."

* * *

><p>"As you know, since both Princeton and I took the first turns, it should only be fair that <em>you<em> take the first move, Jaden." David waved formally to his opponent.

"Well, don't mind if I do!" Jaden drew his sixth card, "And I'll start by playing Clayman on the Big-D!" the clay-shelled Elemental Hero appeared (DEF: 2000), "And since a good defense needs a good offense, I'll play a card from Jason's deck, the magic card Hero's Bond! This lets me summon up to 2 Elemental Heroes from my hand to backup the one already on the field! So guess who's gonna be the lucky 2!" he slapped the two cards on the tray and the following monsters appeared, "Elemental Hero Wildheart…" the jungle-born hero appeared (DEF: 1600), "And Elemental Hero Sparkman!" the lightning-tossing hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "Finally I'll throw down a face-down and end my turn!" a reverse-card appeared.

"Quite a good start," David drew his sixth card, "Now let's see if I can do just as good. I summon (*) Gear Golem the Moving Fortress(4/ATK: 800/DEF: 2200) in DEF position," a silver-and-gold robot appeared, defending with its two spiked shields (DEF: 2200), "I then place one card face-down and end my turn."

"My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I play the magic card Fusion Sage! This adds Polymerization from my deck!" he added the specified spell to his hand, "Now I play Polymerization from my hand! And with it I fuse heroes Sparkman and Clayman to create…" the two heroes became attracted towards the green-and-orange vortex.

"Nothing. Because I activate my counter-trap, Cursed Seal of the Forbidden Spell!" David opened his reverse-card, "By discarding one spell card from my hand to the graveyard, this trap negates and destroys your spell card," the vortex then dissipated, "And there's more: the spell this trap negates—"

"Gets sealed off for the rest of the Duel," Jaden groaned, "Yeah, I had to deal with that card before."

* * *

><p>"Against me, actually, " Bastion grimaced, "David must have modified his deck to counter Jaden's, just like I once did…"<p>

* * *

><p>"Okay, fusion's out of the question so…I end my turn."<p>

"Then comes my turn," David drew his next card, "First I sacrifice my Gear Golem to play the Summon Reactor SK!" the machine vanished in place of the bronze aircraft machine (ATK: 2000), "Next, I activate the spell card Bait Doll. This forces the activation of one of your face-down cards. And if it's timing is wrong, that card is destroyed. Now let's see what you're hiding…" Jaden's reverse-card rose up, then shattered, "Mirror Force, is it? That's too bad for you. As for me, I can return Bait Doll back into my deck." David shuffled the card into his deck, "Now without any traps on your field, my Summon Reactor is clear to attack your Sparkman!" Summon Reactor fired a pair of cyclones that destroyed Sparkman.

**David: 8000**

**Jaden: 7600**

"Finally I place one card face-down," a reverse-card appeared, "And I turn over to you, Mister Yuki."

"Gee, thanks…" Jaden drew his next card, "I Summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode!" the flame-fisted Hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And his special-ability's a_ team effort_! 'Cause for every Elemental Hero on my field, 200 ATK points go to Heat!" the flames on Heat's gauntlets intensified (ATK: 2200).

"In case you weren't there for you friend's sound defeat, Summon Reactor inflicts 800 points of damage after you summon a monster." Summon Reactor fired its set of cyclones that blew through Jaden.

**David: 8000**

**Jason: 6800**

"Time to heat things up hero-style! Attack!" Heat charged with his gauntlets aflame.

* * *

><p>"Hey, is it just me, or is Jaden using someone else's cards?" Mindy wondered.<p>

"It's just you, trust me," Jasmine assured, "Jaden's bound to have other Hero cards he didn't use often."

* * *

><p>"I was prepared for that. In fact that's what Summon Reactor's for," David gestured towards Summon Reactor, who launched a pair of cyclones that pushed back the hero, "That's a bonus of Summon Reactor's effect, which negates a monster's attack on the turn its triggered."<p>

Jaden groaned, "I place a card face-down…"

"And I activate my Mask of Restrict trap card," Davis opened the continuous-trap card, "So in case you're about to sacrifice your Monsters…"

"…I end my turn." Jaden concluded.

"Then it's my turn," David drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two extra cards from my deck," he drew two more cards, "Next I Summon Trap Reactor Y FI to the field in DEF position," the green fighter-plane machine appeared (DEF: 1800), "Finally I place one card face-down. That'll do for now."

"Alright, my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "Alright, let's try this again! Elemental Hero Heat, attack!" the hero charged towards the reactors, 'Okay, I didn't summon a monster yet so his attack should get through…'

"I activate my face-down card, the trap know as Gozen Match," David opened his continuous-trap card, which caused the battle to abruptly stop, "Now our Monsters must battle by a _new_ set of rules: as long as this card remains on the field, we both must control only one attribute of Monsters on our side of the field. So you will have to make a small sacrifice. "

"I guess there's no other choice…" Jaden groaned, "I'm afraid you're gonna have to sit this one out, Heat." The fire-attribute monster vanished, leaving Clayman and Wildheart, "There's not much I can do right now, so I'll end my turn."

"It's my turn," David drew his next card, "I summon Spell Reactor SK to the field," the bottle-rocket-launching aircraft appeared (ATK: 1200), "And with it out, it's finally time…"

"Dare I even ask…?"

"I activate Summon Reactor SK's third and final ability. By sending it to the graveyard along with Spell Reactor RE and Trap Reactor Y FI, I'm allowed to summon an even more powerful monster in their place," the three Reactor machines rose to the sky together and formed a large column of golden light in which a much larger machine rose out, modeled after a life-size flying fortress aircraft with slender arms and legs. The new monster stared at Jaden and his heroes with its piercing red eyes (ATK: 3000), "Meet American Academy's pride and joy: (*) Flying Fortress SKY FIRE(8/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500)!"

"And I thought that Armed Dragon was big!" Jaden stared up at the monster, "I wonder what's it's seat capacity…"

Now I place one card face-down and end my turn." A reverse-card appeared.

"My turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "Alright, I'm throwing down a face-down! " a reverse-card appeared. But not soon after, SKY FIRE'S eyes flashed and from under its wings, a series of rockets were launched flew right towards Jaden's face-down, catching him in a fiery explosion. The Slifer lowered his duel-disk and he realized his face-down card was replaced by small wisps of smoke, "Wait, what just happened?!"

David smirked, "One of Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's special functions: every time my opponent summons a monster or sets a card face-down, that card is automatically destroyed; and then you take 800 points of damage. But this ability can only be triggered once per turn, if that helps…"

**David: 8000**

**Jaden: 6000**

* * *

><p>"It destroys cards and deals damage?! " Chumley gasped.<p>

"David must have held back on this monster so his next opponent won't have any time to plan how to counter it," Zane deducted, "He might not have needed it when he dueled Jason when he managed to do so with his three Reactors."

"So David must've planned that far ahead!" Alexis realized, "He must really be his academy's best or else he wouldn't even be here."

* * *

><p>'Man, I can't catch a break!' Jaden's grimaced, 'First he cut off my fusions, now <em>this<em>…?' "I end my turn!"

"Then it's my turn. But instead of drawing a card, I decided instead to activate the effect of the spell card I discarded earlier. When Magical Blast is in my graveyard during my draw-phase, I can add it to my hand instead of drawing a card," David added the card to his hand, "But then again, I won't be needing it, except of course for Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's second effect. By sending a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can target one card on your field and destroy it. So by discarding Magical Blast, my monster will lock onto one of your face-down cards." SKY FIRE fired another rocket and destroyed Jaden's earlier reverse-card, which was Spiritual Fire Art.

"That looks like one of the cards my previous opponent plays," Davis said, "You two seem to use the same cards, yet I watched you play a different style while dueling Chazz Princeton. That could mean… Are you playing with both your and his cards?"

Jaden gave no answer, instead a solemn gaze.

_**Flashback…**_

"_You're joking…" Aspen said, "You are, right?"_

"_Nuh-uh," Rock shook his head, "Jaden Duel's with Jason's deck. Simple."_

"_Simple, yes," Zane said, "But that doesn't really make it a good idea."_

"_Why not? I spotted his deck in his room. See? Simple."_

"_It's not the difficulty, Rock, it's the principle."_

"_Wha?"_

"_Zane has a point, actually," Alexis said, "Jaden made it this far using his deck, his cards. So it's only natural that he Duel's for Duel Academy the same."_

"_And besides, Jason with his deck doesn't exactly keep a winning streak. So playing with Jaden's deck would only help him lose all the same," Bastion began noticing the scowls he's receiving and raised his hands defensively, "Again, optimism! Remember, David saw Jason's deck. So that would just give him the advantage."_

"_You had to put logic into everything, huh?" Rock groaned._

"_Unfortunately, Bastion's right," Aspen said, "The idea's pretty noble, but we can't just gamble our academy's reputation, much less Jaden's reputation, just for one person…" the locker room fell quiet as everyone present began to sulk._

"_Why now use both…?" everyone looked up to the sound of Noire's soft voice, "I mean…Jaden can use both his and Jason's deck against David."_

"_You mean combine both decks?" Alexis asked._

"_That does make the concept easier," Bastion said, "But still, combining two decks into one…"_

"_Well…it worked before…?"_

_Zane eyes widened a bit, "'Before'? What do you mean?"_

_Noire looked around at the others, "Oh! I forgot you might not have known about it. It's okay if you don't, it's just…well when I was little, there was this weird rumor about Yugi Moto and Seto Kaiba. They say that they and their friends were pulled into this virtual reality world. Eventually Seto Kaiba challenged the mastermind to a Duel and lost. And when Yugi stepped in to avenge him, he used both his deck and Kaiba's as one and won the Duel."_

"_I think I heard of that…" Alexis chimed in, "It was between the finals of the Battle City tournament."_

"_Still, this might not be a simple task," Bastion said, "the King of Games is one thing, but combining two deck into one would require some pre-planning an some time to make sure the deck is compatible. And with the time we're given it might not…" Bastion trailed off when he received a series of glares for a third time, "Shutting up…"_

"_But that is a good point," Aspen said, "First of all, too many cards equals a poor luck of the draw. And second, we have two different styles and it'll a bit hard trying to squeeze it into a basic 40-count deck. Third, we're a bit strapped for time."_

"_I say we do it," Jason hopped up, gaining the floor, "Guys, think about it. If I'm dueling with a deck that's made from my deck, and Jason's deck, it's like I'm dueling with Jason right there with me! Actually that sounded cooler in my head."_

_Zane smirked and shrugged, "I honestly can't argue about that; the merging decks, not be other thing." Everyone muttered and mumbled in agreement._

"_Then it's settled, Jaden. You'll be dueling with an exclusive new deck for this final match. That just gives us less than…" Alexis checked her watch, "A little over half an hour to make a new deck and get it ready against David Rabb."_

_Jaden nodded, "You forgot 'and win'!"_

"_That's beautiful and all, but you all seem to have forgotten one little thing…" Aspen pointed out, "This idea would hold actual weight if Jason himself were here to see it. And in case you're all forgetting, he's still MIA."_

"_Just leave that to me!" Rock agreed._

…_**End Flashback.**_

"So that's what it is," David chuckled, "I do admit that's a bit cute but in hindsight, you might as well forfeit the Duel and save us the trouble," meanwhile he was having trouble keeping his chortles to himself, "I suppose the top duelist in his class can't help but be a slave to his better nature."

Jaden groaned, "Are we gonna get back to the Duel or what?"

"Oh, alright. I was finished anyhow," David concluded.

"Thank, you," Jaden sighed and drew his next card, "I summon Wroughtweiler in DEF mode!" the robotic dog appeared (DEF: 1200).

"And _that_ in turn triggers SKY FIRE's special-ability," David said, "As you may recall, its can destroy the first monster you summon and inflict 800 points of damage," SKY FIRE fired another garage of missiles and caught Jaden and his monster in a widespread explosion.

**David: 8000**

**Jaden: 5200**

"And 'that in turn' activates Wroughtweiler's special-ability, which lets me add Polymerization and an Elemental Hero from my graveyard!" Jaden retrieved his two cards, "And that's all for now…"

"Then it's my turn, letting me add Magical Blast to my hand instead of drawing," David retrieved the spell card, "And I'll send it back to the graveyard for Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's effect and destroy your Elemental Hero Wildheart," another barrage of missiles destroyed the jungle Hero, "And now my Flying Fortress SKY FIRE will attack you'd Elemental Hero Clayman!" the turrets on SKY FIRE pointed towards Clayman and fired on the hero, destroying it with a rain of projectiles, leaving Jaden's field empty, "And that will end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I place one card face-down!"

"And once again SKY FIRE's ability activates," the colossal aircraft fired another missile that destroyed the set card.

**David: 8000**

**Jaden: 4600**

"I summon Elemental Hero Avian in DEF mode!" the emerald winged Hero appeared (DEF: 1000), "that ends my turn. "

"It's my turn," David retrieved his spell card from his graveyard, "And once again I send Magical Blast from my hand to the graveyard. That way my Flying Fortress SKY FIRE can destroy your monster," another barrage destroyed Avian, "And without any cards protecting you, my monster is free to attack you directly!" SKY FIRE fired another barrage or rockets that rained down on Jaden.

**David: 8000**

**Jason: 1600**

* * *

><p>"Jaden just took a major hit!" Syrus gasped.<p>

"Hang on, Jaden!" Chumley called.

* * *

><p>"Why the long face, Jaden?" David asked, the cold smile not leaving his face, "Here I thought you'd be having fun. At least I am. Wasn't that what you said while dueling Chazz Princeton, that winning and losing doesn't matter as long as you're having fun…?"<p>

"Not to point fingers, but you're the one taking the fun out of it," Jaden scowled.

David chuckled, "I think it's too late for that. I end my turn."

"It's my turn! " Jaden drew his next card, "I activate Spellbook inside the Pot! With this spell, it lets us both draw 3 new cards!" they both drew until they each held four cards, "Next, when I have no other cards out, I can special-summon out Bubbleman to the field!" the water-gadget Hero appeared (ATK: 800), "And when Bubbleman's out by his lonesome, I get to draw 2 _more_ cards!" Jaden drew 2 more times.

"You once again triggered Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's ability," David said, "Remember, the first time you summon a monster or set a card, that card is destroyed and you take 800 points of damage." SKY FIRE fired another rocked towards Bubbleman.

"Not this time! Activating Monster Recovery!" Jaden quickly played the quick-play spell and Bubbleman vanished, the rocket missing his target, "And since Bubbleman returns to my hand, I don't take any damage. And there's more: I can add the cards in my hand to my deck, shuffle it up, and draw the same number of cards!" after shuffling his hand into his deck, Jaden drew five new cards.

* * *

><p>"Hold on! Why didn't he take damage just now?" Chumley wondered.<p>

"Because it was returned to the hand, not destroyed," Bastion said, "Remember that the Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's ability can destroy the card first summoned or set and then deal damage. But the damage would only be inflicted if the card was destroyed by the effect. But since Jaden's Bubbleman was returned to the hand at the time that effect was activated it caused that same effect to miss its timing."

"Uh…"

"No monster, no destruction," Aspen simplified, "No destruction, no damage."

"Oh…"

"Think back to when you and Jason faced Noire and Bandit Keith, and how Jason helped escape from that Blast Sphere monster."

"…Ohhh!"

**_Flashback..._**

_there was a sudden flash before the Blast Sphere exploded, brining forth a massive explosion that enveloped the alarmed Gaia and pushed the remaining monsters against the blast's radius, "Blammo! Ha!" she waited for the smoke to clear to see what remained of the monster. It finally did…_

_**Bandit Keith/Noire: 1350**_

_**Chumley/Jason: 200**_

_"What?!" Noire snapped, her arrogance wavering, "Blast Sphere's went off and Gaia's destroyed, but their life-points are still here?"_

_"This ain't right…" Keith couldn't help but mutter._

_"Before Blast Sphere's effect activated, I activated the trap card Spiritual Earth Art-Kurogane." Jason explained, revealing his sole reverse-card. "So by sacrificing Elemental Hero Gaia, I can summon an earth-attribute monster from my graveyard, as long as it's level-4 or lower._

**_...End Flashback._**

"So just like he sacrificed Gaia to escape damage, Jaden took Bubbleman off the field to do the same thing!"

"That's right," Alexis nodded with a smile, "You see, Jaden's not only using his cards, he's using Jason's tactics as well."

* * *

><p>"Next I activate a spell card, Fusion Birth!"<p>

David narrowed his eyes, "'Fusion Birth'…?"

"This card works in 2 steps: step 1, I take 5 cards from the top of my deck and send them to the graveyard!" Jaden sent the top five cards to the graveyard: Unity, Feather Break, Elemental Hero Ocean, Elemental Hero Sparkman and Elemental Hero Woodsman, 'Paydirt! I couldn't have asked for a better set!' "Now on to step 2: if there were any Elemental Heroes among them, I can use them to perform a fusion! And I got just the pair! Elemental Heroes Ocean and Woodsman, fuse together to create…the Elemental Hero Gaia!" the phantoms of the two Heroes merged together and the heavily-armored earth Hero appeared, "And the moment he's summoned, the ATK points of one of your monsters get cut in half, while Gaia gets the other half in his own ATK points! That means your Flying Fortress _loses_ 1500 ATK points…" Gaia slammed his fist into the platform, sending for a fissure towards the massive hovering machine before striking it with a powerful shockwave from below. David's eyes widened at the sight of his powerful monster growing weaker (ATK: 1500), "While Gaia _gains_ 1500 ATK points (ATK: 3700)!"

* * *

><p>"And that makes Gaia the strongest on the field!" Syrus cheered, "Now take it to that metal menace!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I'm not done yet, I give Gaia the equip-magic card Scroll of Enchantment! This card changes my Elemental Hero to a different attribute, from EARTH to WIND!" Gaia's armor changed from a dark-brown to a light-green, "Now for magic card #3! Yu-Jo Friendship! And here's how it works: whoever plays this card gets to offer their opponent a handshake. And if so, then both our life-points become the total between them!"<p>

"And why would I agree to share my life-points?" David scoffed.

"Actually that's where the magic #4 Unity comes in! With this card sleeping in the graveyard, Yu-Jo's effect activate anyway, no take-backsies!"

* * *

><p>"Last time Yu-Jo Friendship was played Jason was lucky enough to have Jaden as his opponent as friendly competition," Zane said, "But not so much against a duelist like David. But that doesn't stop Jaden, especially when he played it the right way."<p>

* * *

><p>"So that's how it's gonna be…alright, then." David met Jaden at the center of the field and the two shook hands before returning.<p>

**David: 4800**

**Jaden: 4800**

"Now that we've gotten a bit more friendly, let's get back to the battle. Go Gaia, attack Flying Fortress SKY FIRE with Continental Hammer!" Gaia slammed his large costs together as the wind began picking up around him, "Actually a new attribute needs a new attack! So go, Continental Cyclone Hammer!" the Hero slammed both his gauntlets flat on the floor right before a raging miniature Cyclone burst from each of them, launching Gaia off the field and into the air. Gaia steered himself on the rotating trail of wind as he flew around the field towards SKY FIRE's rear flank, finally releasing himself from the Cyclone right before landing a mighty blow that ripped through the machine. He landed back to Jaden's side just in time to watch the Flying Fortress SKY FIRE crumble in a heap of burning scrapmetal. David shielded himself from the massive pile of debris crashing around him.

**David: 2600**

**Jaden: 4800**

"And the fun's not over yet! I activate spell #5, Construct Element!" Jaden activated the quick-play spell, "This card let's me take an Elemental Hero fusion-monster on my field, and trade it in for an Elemental Hero fusion-monster from my deck with the same level and attribute!"

* * *

><p>"So that's what the scroll's for!" Syrus said.<p>

* * *

><p>"Elemental Hero Gaia, take five and tag in Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" Gaia vanished from the field and was replaced with Jaden's trademark dragonhead-equipped Hero (ATK: 2100), "Now it's his turn to burn a few points!" Flame Wingman opened his dragonhead gauntlet and fired a stream of flame on David.<p>

**David: 500**

**Jaden: 4800**

"And that ends my turn!" Jaden concluded.

"You must be feeling it, right?" David smirked, "I mean, of course, the feeling of satisfaction while having the upper hand on your opponent…"

"Where are you getting at?" Jaden asked.

"You weren't sharing the same sentiment while you were falling behind and I had the advantage?"

"Again, what's your point?"

"It's just that very fact alone prove the contradiction in that speech you gave in your previous Duel."

"Please! In English! American! Or whatever we're saying right now!"

"Fine, I'll make it simple for you: you never really meant what you said to Chazz earlier, when you were dueling him."

"Hey, I meant every word!"

"You said earlier that dueling isn't about winning or losing but having fun doing it. Well, you failed to mention the most important factor in dueling."

"Which is?"

"The stinging pain of failing when you lose. Of course you can have fun winning, but losing is an entirely different story. There's actually no joy in it."

"Says you!" Jaden snapped.

"Precisely. Take to schoolmate Jason for example. When he lost he not only lost just one Duel. He was representing Duel Academy just like you are. The whole school was counting on him to demonstrate their strength, but he couldn't do his part."

"Big deal!"

"Yes it is. His failure to duel on Duel Academy's behalf has cost them their reputation as the top dueling school I the world; at least that would be the case if he were the only representative. You may be able to salvage what your friend has cost his school if you manage to defeat me. But I digress. He felt this sting of defeat and knew his loss is nothing to take lightly. Because his school was depending on him; by losing that Duel it's reflected on the rest of them. His mediocre performance has lowered the expectations of all other students of Duel Academy."

"That didn't seemed the case when Chazz lost his Duel."

"I guess you forgot about his older brothers. They were depending on him yet he failed of deliver. His abuse with their high expectations is why they disowned him in front of everyone. You know that's actually important compared to a bunch of strangers screaming his name mindlessly. And now you're dueling with his cards to avenge him. Do you find joy in that as well?"

"It's not vengeance, it's giving Jason a second chance. 'Cause it's not just me you're dueling, he dueling along with me!"

"Is that so. Then pray he doesn't hold you back," David drew his next card, "It's my turn. And I was lucky enough to save this card in my hand. Activate the spell Card of Demise. This allows me to draw until I hold five cards," he then drew four cards, "Of course, I must discard my entire hand during my fifth standby-phase. But until then, I activate the spell card Junk Dealer, which lets me summon two machine or warrior-type monsters from my graveyard in ATK position. And I choose Summon Reactor SK and Spell Reactor RE," Summon Reactor (ATK: 1000) and Spell Reactor (ATK: 600) returned, "Unfortunately both monsters summoned have their ATK points cut in half. Now I place one card face-down and end my turn." A reverse-card appeared.

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "Now Flame Wingman, attack Spell Reactor RE!" Flame Wingman fired another stream from his dragonhead.

"I activate the trap card Draining Shield!" David opened his reverse-card and a barrier rose to block the attack, "this card absorbs your Flame Wingman's attack and adds the damage I would've taken to my life-points."

**David: 2600**

**Jaden: 4800**

"Then I activate the spell card Hero Solidarity! By removing up to 2 Elemental Heroes in my graveyard from play, they can help destroy than many spell/trap cards!" he removed Ocean and Woodsman from his graveyard and their respective phantoms appeared. Woodsman punched a hole through Mask of Restrict while Ocean cut Gozen Battle in two before leaving.

"By activating a spell card, you triggered Spell Reactor's special-ability," David said as Spell Reactor launched a series of bottle-rocket-launching on Jaden.

**David: 2600**

**Jaden: 4000**

"Well, that's it for my turn," Jaden concluded.

"Then it's my turn," David drew his next card, "I activate the spell card Monster Reincarnation. By sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can return a monster from my graveyard to my hand," he replace one of his cards with a monster from his graveyard, "Next I'll summon that very monster, Trap Reactor Y FI," the green Reactor machine appeared (ATK: 800), "And with all three Reactor monster on my field at once I can activate Summon Reactor SK's special function."

* * *

><p>"Here we go again…" Syrus groaned.<p>

"With that Flying Fortress back on the field, David can destroy any card in its path," Aspen said, "And it was trouble enough the first time…"

* * *

><p>"By activating Summon Reactor SK's special-ability, I send it to the graveyard along with Spell Reactor RE and Trap Reactor Y FI to summon Flying Fortress SKY FIRE once again," the three Reactor monsters merged once more to create the colossal war machine (ATK: 3000), "Now to activate SKY FIRE's ability: by sending one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can destroy one card on your field. And I think you Flame Wingman would be the perfect target, albeit the only target," the Warcraft fired a series of bottle-rocket-launching and destroyed Flame Wingman, "And now my Flying Fortress SKY FIRE is free to attack your life-points directly!" Flying Fortress aimed its turrets and fired a series of rounds on Jaden.<p>

**David: 2600**

**Jaden: 1000**

"Finally I place one card face-down and my turn ends here." A reverse-card appeared.

"Alright, my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "I activate the spell card, Legacy of a Hero! When there are 2 or more monster in my graveyard that are Elemental Heroes, I can draw 3 new cards!" he drew until he held four cards, "Next I play Reinforcement of the Army! It lets me add any warrior-type monster from my deck to my hand, so long as it doesn't have any level higher than 4," he added the warrior to his hand, "And _this_ Reinforcement is gonna join the battle one more time! Look familiar…?" Jaden played the monster card and Elemental Hero Bubbleman appeared again (ATK: 800), "And just like before, when Bubbleman's alone on my side of the field, I get to draw 2 more cards!" he drew two more times.

"Your Bubbleman may be alone on the field, but my Flying Fortress SKY FIRE will be happy to send him to all the others he sent: to the graveyard," the war machine fired a series of rockets towards Bubbleman.

"I play the quick-play spell card Bubble Shuffle!" Jaden activated the card into his duel-disk, and both Bubbleman (DEF: 1200) and SKY FIRE (DEF: 2500) switched to DEF position, "This card forces Bubbleman and a monster on your field to DEF mode! Not only that, Bubbleman gets to pull another disappearing act; by releasing him before you Flying Fortress SKY FIRE can get to 'im!" Bubbleman vanished and avoided the rockets for a second time, "And then I'm allowed to summon another Elemental Hero from my hand! And I chose Elemental Hero Flash!" the electric Hero from Jason's deck appeared (ATK: 1100), "And now I activate the spell Miracle Fusion from my hand! This allows me to summon a fusion-monster from my graveyard by removing the from play! So by removing Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Flame Wingman, they'll fuse to create the Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!" the two Heroes merged from the grave and formed the Shining armored version of Flame Wingman (ATK: 2500), "And when Shining Flare's out and about, he gains 300 ATK points for every Elemental Hero in my grave! I got 5, so he gets 1500 (ATK: 4000)! And that make him strong enough to take out your Flying Fortress! Attack!" Shining Flare Wingman stretched his metal wings and charged towards the giant aircraft with his arm-mounted blade.

"I activate my face-down card, the trap known as Roll Out!" David opened his reverse-card, "it allows me to bring one union-monster from my graveyard, and equip it to a monster on my field. And the monster I choose will be Machina Peacekeeper," from David's graveyard a small red robot appeared and changed into a battery-pack that attached to Flying Fortress. Flare Wingman's strike triggered a barrier that eventually shattered and destroyed the battery-pack with it, but protecting Flying Fortress SKY FIRE in the process, "And in case you may not know, a union-monster can be destroyed in place of the monster it's equipped to; especially my Machina Peacekeeper, which results in letting me add another union-monster from my deck to my hand," David searched his deck for a card until he showed it to Jaden, "And the card I've chosen is Machina Gearframe."

* * *

><p>"That figures," Bastion said, "Those union-monsters can provide other monsters extra protection, and that make destroying SKY FIRE that much harder."<p>

"C'mon, Jay! You're getting closer to beating that thing!" Syrus called, "Just hang in there!"

* * *

><p>'Believe me, Sy, that's all I've been doing…' "I'll throw down a face-down and call it a turn!" a reverse-card appeared on Jaden's field.<p>

"Then it's my turn. But this time, I'll add Magical Blast back to my hand," David add the spell into his hand, "Next I'll send it back to the graveyard to activate Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's ability, to destroy your Shining Flare Wingman!" the machine launched another series of missiles. Flare Wingman tried to block with its shield, but was destroyed by the barrage, "Next, I summon Machina Gearframe in ATK mode," the rust-colored Machina union-monster appeared (ATK: 1800), "And once this monster is summoned, I can search through my deck for another Machina monster and added to my hand, in this case my Machina Fortress," David showed the card before adding it, "Next my Machina Gearframe will attack your Elemental Hero Flash!" Gearframe fired a set of lasers from it arms and destroyed Flash.

**David: 2600**

**Jaden: 400**

" Jaden's down to 400 points!" Chumley exclaimed, "If he's planning to do something with that face-down card be better do it quick!"

"I activate my face-down card, Hero Signal!" Jaden opened his reverse-card, "This trap card activates when a monster on my field is destroyed! It lets me summon a level-4-or-lower monster that has 'Elemental Hero' in its name from my deck! And I choose Elemental Hero Stratos!" the jetpack-wearing hero appeared (DEF: 300), "And when Flash is destroyed in battle, I can remove him from the game, along with 3 other Elemental Heroes to return a magic card from my graveyard and back into my hand!" Jaden banished Flash, Clayman, Wildheart and Heat to add the spell card to his hand, "But that's not all, when Stratos' summoned out, I get to add another Elemental Hero that's level-4-or-below from my deck to my hand!"

"Your Stratos won't be around for long. Flying Fortress SKY FIRE, attack!" David's Flying Fortress fired from its turrets and destroyed Stratos, "I bet now you wished that you had just used your own cards, instead of this farce you're performing for that loser."

"Man, just zip it already, would'ya?" Jaden groaned.

"Deny it all you want, just look at the facts. You're a few points away from defeat and no cards on the field. Whatever trap you set or monster you summon will be wiped out by my Flying Fortress SKY FIRE along with the rest of your life-points. This Duel is over for you. But look at it this way, at least we all know who to blame for your terrible error in judgment. Maybe next time you'll learn to select your friends more carefully in case you want to pay tribute to them."

* * *

><p>"Wow, that David's pretty mean towards Jason..." Mindy frowned.<p>

"I know Jason's not the best duelist on campus but even that's not David's place to act so hostile." Jasmine added.

* * *

><p>"Next, I activate Machina Gearframe's effect and equip it onto Flying Fortress SKY FIRE. Gearframe became an orange jetpack that attached to the aircraft, "And with that, I end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jaden drew his next card, "I play the spell card Pot of Greed! This lets me draw 2 cards!" he drew two more times, "And one of them I'm gonna summon to the field: Elemental Hero Captain Gold!" the golden-armored Hero appeared (ATK: 2100)."

"You just triggered Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's special function! By summoning a monster to the field, you've just doomed it and yourself!" Flying Fortress fired another series of rockets towards the monster. However Captain Gold vanished causing the rockets to miss their target once again.

"Sorry, but I may forget to mention Captain Gold's drawback: it can't stay on the field without Skyscraper out. So he's need to leave for elsewhere!"

* * *

><p>"I guess it's a good think that a powerful monster like Captain Gold even has a drawback," Aspen smirked.<p>

* * *

><p>David scoffed, "For a sacrificial lamb, at least a card of Jason's was good for that."<p>

"I think I heard you talk long enough. You know, it's bad enough you insulted everything I believed in dueling, but when you diss one my friends, well, that's a _big_ no-no!"

David scoffed, "Again with this 'fun-and-friendship' nonsense?"

"Call it what you want, but I still stand for what I believe in! And this time I stand taller than ever! Because it's not just the pride of Duel Academy I'm fighting for, I'm dueling with my _friends_ in mind! And that's something you can never beat! And all the proof I need is right here! When I beat you and win the School Duel, I'll do it knowing I had Jason's help doing it!"

"You're free to believe in whatever you want," David sighed as he shrugged, "but how about you just let your _dueling_ speak for you?"

"See, I knew we could agree on something! I activate the magic card Parallel World Fusion!"

David's eyes widened, "_Another_ fusion card…?"

"Think of it as Miracle Fusion backwards. Instead of banishing monsters, I can fuse monsters by bring them back to the game and back into the graveyard! So by returning Ocean and Woodsman to the graveyard, I can fuse them to create the Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" the two Heroes appeared and merged into the living marble Hero (ATK: 2500), "And speaking of miracles, I'm gonna use Miracle Fusion to make one more! Ocean and Woodsman, combine one more time!" for the third time, the merman and wood-limbed heroes merged into a fusion monster, this time becoming… "Elemental Hero Gaia, welcome back to the game!" the massive earth-armored Hero returned with a heavy land onto the field (ATK: 2200), "You know what to do, Gaia! And David, _you_ know what he does!" Gaia smashed into the ground to send forth another shockwave to strike SKY FIRE.

Flying Fortress SKY FIRE: (ATK: 1500)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3700)

"Now for the final touch! Terra Firma, activate your special superpower!" Gaia dissolved into a bronze light and surrounded Terra Firma into an aura, "By sacrificing Elemental Hero Gaia on my field, Terra Firma's ATK power grows as much as Gaia's (ATK: 6200)!"

* * *

><p>"Now Terra Firma has gained power from both Gaia and Flying Fortress SKY FIRE." Bastion smiled.<p>

"So this is it!" Chumley said, "Just one attack away from winning this School Duel!"

"C'mon, Jay! Give us another one for Duel Academy!" Syrus cheered.

* * *

><p>Back on the field the effect was still going underway as something appeared in front of Terra Firma. The Hero was soon holding a massive Hammer in form of Elemental Hero Gaia's gauntlet. Jaden for one was a bit surprised at the sudden development, "Wow. I didn't he can do that…" he then heard a familiar hooting as Winged Kuriboh hovered from the deck to him, pointing out somewhere, "What's up, Kuriboh?" he turned his head to the direction where the Duel Academy students were and above the stands he saw someone standing over the railing, an obelisk blue student with black hair, much of it covering the left side of his face. Just from one look he knew that person anywhere, and the made him smile as he returned to the Duel, "Alright, Terra Firma! Let's give 'im a Duel to remember with Continental Hammer Crash!" Terra Firma nodded and slammed the Hammer into the ground and split the ground down the middle, where a powerful wave of magma burst out right underneath SKY FIRE, ripping his hull in multiple places. The heatwave stopped and Flying Fortress SKY FIRE knelt carelessly to the ground, resembling nothing more that a scraped relic aircraft, acting like some kind of shrine over David, dispirited as he was.<p>

**David: 0**

**Jaden: 400**

"And the winner of this year's School Duel is Jaden Yuki!" the entire audience cheered at Anais' official announcement, even the ones from North Academy.

"I can't believe that I lost!" David fell to his knees, his hat on the floor as his head bowed in grief.

"Hey, it's not that bad," David looked up to see Jaden standing over him, "You may have lost the Duel, but besides that nothing's changed," Jaden brought out an open hand, "You're still a great duelist. I'm glad I got to Duel against you."

David stared at hand for a few long moments…before it was smacked away, "I don't have patience for pity," he carried himself back up on his feet, his back turned to his opponent as he put his cap back on, "You seem to have forgotten that this was a battle of pride, not just for our respective schools, but to ourselves as well. You shattered my pride by defeating me, plain and simple," he shot a glare over his shoulder, "I won't forget this, Jaden Yuki. We _will_ meet again." David walked off the platform, leaving Jaden with a stinging backhand.

"O-kaaay…" Jaden sighed.

* * *

><p>When David was leaving the arena, he was met at the entranceway by Principal MacKenzie and Regina.<p>

"If there's a silver lining in all of this—"

"Not one word…" growled David, then without looking spoke to the principal, "I'm sorry. I wasn't able to win."

MacKenzie dropped his displeased look and chucked, "No worries, David. What's done is done. Besides, we've already achieved what we came here for," after patting David's shoulder he began his was out.

"What do you mean…?" David asked, confused.

"You can thank Regina for it," MacKenzie said. Regina followed, giving a small smirk to Davis as she passed. That cause David to frown deeper as he followed behind.

* * *

><p>"That was great, Jay!" Syrus cheered as he and the others met Jaden in the opposite entranceway, "You won the School Duel!"<p>

"You'd didn't just beat North Academy, but the American Academy at the same time!" Chumley said, "That's never happened before!"

"Remember guys, he didn't do it alone," Zane said.

"That's right," Jaden patted the deck, "Jason had as much to do with it as I did. Let's thank him later."

"I hate to dampen the mood…" Aspen said, "But in case anyone's forgotten, Jason was nowhere in sight all Duel long."

"She's right. I haven't seen Rock either so he must _still_ be looking for him…" Alexis pointed out.

"I don't think we ought to worry about that," Jaden assured, "I think I know where we can find him."

* * *

><p>The obelisk walked through the outer halls towards the exit, wanting to get back to his dorm before he could walk into anyone, "I thought I'd find you!" he jumped and turned to see Jaden running up to him with the others, "Now I'm glad you were there to watch, Jason, but why the disguise? You didn't have to hide from anyone," he gasped a bit but he calmed down and signed. Jason removed his baggy blue coat and pushed his cowlick right side up.<p>

"Wait, that's Jason?!" Chumley gasped.

"You just now realized that?" Aspen groaned.

"Here, you'll want this back," Jaden brought out a deck and presented it to Jason.

"My cards…" Jason muttered, then retrieving the deck.

"I hope this makes you feel better," Jaden said, "Like I told David, just because you lost doesn't mean the end of the world."

"Actually—" but a sharp elbow from Alexis stopped Bastion there.

"I appreciate it…" Jason said, "Thank you."

"See? All's well that ends well!"

As the group left, the didn't seem to notice Chakra listening behind the corner, "If only you'd practice what you preach, Jaden…"

* * *

><p>The sun was beginning to set as Chazz was standing from a small cliff, watching his brothers disappear by helicopter, 'Guess now there's just one last matter to settle...'<p>

* * *

><p>A little later, he went to the docks where both North and Duel Academy students were, "Well Chazz, I guess this is goodbye," Jaden bidded, nudging his rival, "Now don't forget to write!"<p>

"Jaden, I'm not going back," the caught mostly everyone by surprise as Chazz looked over his shoulder to his classmates on the sub, "Look guys, I don't belong with you."

"But where _do_ you belong?" the russian stammered.

"Right here, " Chazz was now fully facing the North Academy students, "Duel Academy was always my home."

"But you're our best duelist, Chazz! You sure?"

"I am," Chazz looked over to the principle, "If Chancellor Sheppard will have me back, that is."

"Well Chazz, you _were_ one of the best students we had..." Sheppard smiled warmly, "How could I possibly refuse?"

Foster nodded and looked at his former student, "Guess I'll be going."

"Have your attention please!" Crowler called out from a makeshift stage from his microphone, "Now, to present the prize of this year's School Duel, I give you the most beautiful woman on the island, Miss Duel Academy!" that lead all the boys rushing to the stage.

"Miss Duel Academy?" Jaden grinned, "Sounds hot!"

"Jay, be my wingman, okay?" Syrus said.

"_Here she is!_" Miss Duel Academy slowly began rising from the stage. But when they saw who it was, their fantasies took a turn for the worst.

"Dorothy's Miss Duel Academy?!" Jaden gawked.

"Will the winning chancellor please approached the stage!" As it turns out, the prize was actually the principle whose school won would get a kiss on the cheek from the owner of the card shop.

"A kiss?! That's the prize you two were talking about?!"

Foster began sobbing as he went dashing to the sub, "I can't watch! Wait for me! I'll be back next year, milady!"

"That's a _chick_?" Chazz wondered.

* * *

><p>Finally, Duel Academy and North Academy said their goodbyes as they separated on the submarine. They didn't get far when the waterworks started.<p>

"Don't worry, Foster! I'll take good care of her for you!" Sheppard called out, causing Foster to sob louder with the others. Buy they were crying for different reasons.

"We'll miss you, Chazz! Do Svidaniya(Goodbye/Sayonara/Au Revoir/auf Wiedersehen!"

"Just one last cheer!"

The North Academy chanted Chazz's trademark as they drifted away on their sub. As they disappeared, Sheppard took that time to talk to the returning student, "There is one thing, Chazz..."

"What's that...?"

"Banner!"

The Slifer Headmaster weaved through the crowd to the front, "Since you dropped out of Duel Academy and are now coming back, you are technically a new student, and therefore must start from the bottom: at Slifer Red."

Chazz nearly jumled out of his black coat, "Slifer?!"

"Yes, welcome! We'll get you fitted for a blazer as soon as we get back to the dorm. Then you'll be bunking with Jason and Calypso."

"What?! Look here, the Chazz rooms alone! You guys got that?!"

"Alone, huh? Do cokroaches count?" Syrus asked.

"**What?!**" Chazz was about to jump ontop of Syrus.

"The dorm's got a few," Jaden grinned, "And some rats."

"Rats?!" Chazz scrambled back to the sea, "I changed my mind! Turn this sub around!"

"Guys, how about we give him the Slifer Cheer!" Jaden suggested.

"_I. don't. Want. It!_" Chazz snarled back through his teeth.

"S! L! I! F! E!"

"Can we just stuck with 'Chazz it Up!'?!"

"OR 'SLIFER IT UP!'!" everyone cheered. As they all crowded around Chazz for a group hug, he fell under them.

"This stinks! My new family's already dysfunctional!" he whined as everyone laughed over him.

* * *

><p>"C'mon! How many places can a guy hide in?!" Rock went stumbling throught the woods, still trying to find Jason and bring him back to Duel Academy. However, all he could find right now is trees, "Great! Now I need someone to find me...!"<p>

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Flying Fortress SKY FIRE**

**Stats:**** [Machine/Effect] Level 8 ATK/3000 DEF/2500**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Description: This card cannot be normal-summoned or set. This card cannot be special-summoned except with the effect of 'Summon Reactor-SK'. Once per turn, you can send 1 card from your hand to the graveyard to destroy 1 card you opponent controls. Once per turn, during each of your opponent's turns, you can activate 1 of the following effects:**

**When you opponent normal-summons or special summons a monster, destroy it and inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent.**

**When your opponent sets a card, destroy it and inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent.**

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	32. For the Birds

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

* * *

><p>It's been a couple of days since the School Duel and things seemed to have settled down. As for Jason it was regular as usual as he started the early morning with a mail route. But of all the routes he'd taken, it was a pretty bad time for him to deliver to the obelisk girl's dorm. It was a short while before class starts and he was passing by the girls as they left for the School. He could hear the gossip as he preoccupied himself with the mail.<p>

Jason's head felt like a computer overheating hearing the girls conversation. It seems the School Duel was still fresh on their minds, and he feels seeing him here reminded them of how bad he messed up. And that got him thinking back to Chakra. He tried his best to avoid others the weekend after but he couldn't avoid the guilt he's feeling. If he needs to clear up anything with her it should be as soon as possible. Conveniently for him, he spotted the obelisk crossing the hall towards him. Perhaps it's now or never…

"Wait! Chakra…" Jason called out, and the silver-haired obelisk stopped. He noticed her standing there without even bothering to look at him, "I…" he exhaled before quickly mustering up the courage, "I'm sorry about what happened." That was all he could think so say to her at that moment.

"…Right…" was all he heard of her before she returned on her way to class. Jason could find no closure from talking to her after all…

* * *

><p>After all the mail was taken care of, Jason was able to get to class while Crowler was in the middle of one of his lectures. He was hoping not to be paid any mind…<p>

"Ah! Jason, I'm glad you finally decided to show up to class!" Crowler greeted and a small laugh track followed, "Alright, settle down everyone. All I'm saying is now that everyone's present it's time I made a brief announcement. You see, I've been looking over your grades for this quarter and…well, it doesn't look good; for Slifers, anyway," there were a collection of sighs at that remark, "So I'm giving those most likely to fail a chance to improve their grades. And not to single anyone out…but Jason Hutchins…!" the black-haired slifer jumped at the call of his name, "I noticed your dueling matches schoolwork: sub-par. However I'll give you a chance to shape up on your dueling. You'll be having a special Skills Lesson right after school. Good performance will grant you high marks. Do a poor job and, well, you'll be that much closer to flunking the class. No pressure, by the way. That'll be all!" Crowler went back to teaching class, but that cheerful tone he gave his announcement with didn't change the situation Jason found himself in.

* * *

><p>When classes broke for recess, Rock help himself to all the sandwiches he could get his hands on. Wanting a good place to settle down and eat he made his way to the school arena. By the time he got there, he was already hearing explosions nearby, "Good, some action," Rock made it to the arena to see a Duel in progress, one duelist being knocked back by another explosion. That duelist got slid to the edge with his head hanging from it, "Wait a sec… Ugh, that's not good," Rock could see the black cowlick of a sliver student from where he was standing, as well as the obelisk student standing tall at the other side.<p>

**Jason: 0**

**Obelisk Student: 5000**

"Who said you can take a nap? I don't think everyone's had their turn yet!" the Obelisk demanded. Several other obelisks were standing near the stage, calling out for their turn.

"This is getting depressing. I better put a stop to it…" Rock muttered before coming up to the group, "Alright, break it up! I think this guy's had enough! And I'd be happy to take his place but…you know…" he glanced down at his arms, "…Hands full."

"Ugh, c'mon guys. These Slifers are a waste of time anyway," the lead obelisk left and the others followed.

With them gone, Rock went over to the fallen slifer, "Having fun?" Jason could only groan in response to that jape…

* * *

><p>Rock took Jason back to the shop. Once on the table he gave Jason one of his sandwiches. He took a bite out of it, only to become green in the face, "Oh right, wrong sandwich. Try this one," after spitting out the first one, Jason bit out of the second one, that one worse than the last one, "Man, this has not been your lucky day, has it? Here, third time's the charm—"<p>

"No!" Jason backed away from the package, "Uh, thanks anyway…"

Rock shrugged and ate his ham and cheese, "So anyway…you gotta do something about this streak of yours. It just doesn't look good!"

"I know…" Jason muttered.

"It's like one minute you're winning and you're losing the next. It's like your deck can't make up it's mind."

"I know!" Jason groaned, "I don't know what it is. I though I wouldn't have any problem with my deck. But It's like sometimes it doesn't want to work with me. I can see a way to win, but it's like it doesn't want to cooperate."

"Are you sure it's not the opposite?" the two Slifers looked up to see Aspen approaching them.

"Like what…?" Jason asked.

"I saw your match in the School Duel like everyone else. And from what I saw, you played like you were running into a minefield, and you lost because of that."

"Translation?" Rock raised a brow.

"Allow me to," Bastion joined the small group, "I'm sure you remembered David Rabb, right? His deck was designed to counter the opponent's moves with by dealing damage. You figured that out yourself but still dueled regardless of that risk. That backfired on you in the end; specifically when you ran blindly into David's last trap."

"Way to be sympathetic." Rock muttered in sarcasm.

"All I am saying is that Jason should've been more careful, especially concerning his last attack."

"He triggered a trap card, so what! I never even heard of a Dimension Wall until David played it. He couldn't have seen it coming."

"Ignorance should never be an excuse," Bastion stated, "In fact that should be more of a reason to ere on the side of caution."

"Anyway, this is something a few new cards in Jason deck will call for," Aspen said.

"I did just fine against those Obelisks and I never needed new cards," Rock scoffed.

"However true it would be, that wouldn't be the case against a duelist who knows how to counter it," Bastion said, "In Jason's case, his deck has no doubt been seen plenty of times. His practical exam against Doctor Crowler, his expulsion tag duel against Noire and Bandit Keith, his Skills Lesson against Jasmine, I'm willing to hypothesize many students would be altering their decks just to beat his."

"Let's get a swing-vote here. What's your thought?" Rock turned back to Jason, only to see an empty space in his place, "Uh…"

"I think he already gave his answer," Aspen pointed to the shop counter where Jason was seen buying new packs.

"An 'I'm gonna buy new cards' would've worked too," Rock said.

* * *

><p>After classes let out for today, the students gathered at the school arena for the day's Skills Lesson. In the center stood Jason and his opponent, who made the young slifer hold his breath.<p>

"I hope everyone's front and center! I want everyone seated as close as possible!" Crowler called to his students sitting at the bleachers, "For today's Skills Lesson, our very own Jason Hutchins will teach us exactly what he learned during his time here! And co-performing for him will be Jasmine from Obelisk Blue!" most of the students cheered at the sound of the second duelist, "Alright everyone, settle down. This still counts as class so let's not get too excited."

"Back so early? I don't know why you even bother," Jasmine sighed towards the Slifer and shrugged, "Let's get this over with, okay?" Jason activated his duel-disk in silence, Jasmine activating hers in response, "Nothing to say? Good, that's saving time already."

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"I'm taking the first move!" Jasmine drew her sixth card, "And to start I play the spell card Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards from my deck. Next, I send Harpie Queen from my hand to the grave so I can add one Harpie's Hunting Ground from my deck, which I'll then activate from my hand!" she played the field-spell, in which five rocky spires else from the ground behind her, "Next, I place three cards face-down and summon Harpie Channeler! And thanks to that, Harpie's Hunting Ground allows her to destroy one of the spell/trap cards on the field!" a streak of dark plumage shot from the holographic card and dropped onto the spell/trap card. The pig-tailed harpie tore her sharp talons out of the card and perched on the center pillar (ATK: 1400), "And thanks to the bonus from Harpie's Hunting Ground, she gains an extra 200 points (ATK: 1600/DEF: 1500)! And the card she destroyed was Dark Coffin!"

* * *

><p>"Wait, didn't she use a card like that?" Syrus asked, "How does it work again?"<p>

"Then moment it's destroyed, Dark Coffin forces the opponent to choose between destroying a monster on their side or the field or discarding a random card from their hand," Bastion answered, "However…"

* * *

><p>"Since you have no monsters on the field, that means you lose a card from your hand!" The stone Coffin opened and a shadow whipped out and swiped a card from Jason's hand, reeling it back inside before closing and sinking into the ground, "Next I activate Channeler's ability and send two cards from my hand to the graveyard. That allows me to summon two more Harpie monsters from my deck: Harpie Lady 1 and Harpie Lady 3!" the pink-haired harpie appeared along with her spiky blue-haired sister. They both ripped through the remaining cards before perching between Channeler (ATK: 1300x2), "And combined with the 300 ATK-point bonus from Harpie #1, all Harpies on the field gain 500 ATK points!"<p>

Harpie Lady 1: (ATK: 1800)

Harpie Lady 3: (ATK: 1800)

Harpie Channeler: (ATK: 1900)

"And since my face-down cards were two more Dark Coffins, that means two less cards in your hand!" two more Coffins opened and swiped two more cards from Jason's hand, "That's all for this turn. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention the two card I discarded for Channeler's effect which both were Hysteric Sign! Since they were sent there from my hand, I can use this turn's end-phase to search my deck for three Harpie cards I can add to my hand. And that applies for each Hysteric Sign," she fanned out her deck to search for her six cards.

* * *

><p>"Summoned 3 monsters, powered them up, made Jason's hand 3 cards shorter and finished with 6 cards in her hand, all in one turn?!" Rock gasped.<p>

"And on the topic of Jason's current hand, he's now forced to start his first turn of the Duel with three cards instead of the normal six," Aspen said, "That make countering Jasmine's already-powerful defense twice as hard."

* * *

><p>"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Monster Reincarnation. By discarding one card from my hand, I can add a monster from my graveyard to my hand. Next I set one monster in DEF mode, and one card face-down," after trading one of his cards from his hand with one from his graveyard, he set a monster and spell\trap card, "I end my turn."<p>

"It's my turn," Jasmine drew her next card, "I summon the monster called (1) Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 600)!" a large Dragon appeared on the front lines of Jasmine's field, appearing as a plump, smaller version of Harpie's Pet Dragon (ATK: 1200).

Jason blinked, "A baby Dragon…?"

"You're not already underestimating me after the last two times we dueled, are you? This little guy's spry and at the peak of its prime! But not without help, and that's where my Harpies come in. You see, this baby Dragon has three special-abilities, each one depending on the number of Harpies aiding him. And, by the way, protects his masters from attacking monsters, which is his first ability. His second ability, doubles his ATK and DEF when at least two Harpies with him, plus the added bonus from Harpie Lady 1 (ATK: 2700/DEF: 1200). And his third and final ability, with three Harpies, he can destroy a card on your field. And this time I'm using it on your face-down monster! Fearsome Firestream!" the dragon spewed a stream of flames towards Jason's field.

"I activate my face-down card, My Body as a Shield!" Jason opened his reverse-card, which was a quick-play spell card, "By paying 1500 life-points, I can negate a card-effect that would destroy a monster on the field, and destroy that card!" the spell card fired a bolt of lightning that speared through the fire stream and destroyed the dragon.

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 2500**

"Gutsy move!" Rock sighed in relief, "You wouldn't catch me playing a risky move like that."

"And I didn't know he would even use such a costly card," Aspen said, "A hefty price to protect a single monster; what kind is it?"

"Whatever! I activate the continuous-spell Hysteric Sign, which lets me add an Elegant Egotist spell card from my deck the second I play it! Next I'll activate Elegant Egotist and summon the Harpie Lady Sisters from my deck," the Harpie Channeler then multiplied into four, each one in their own golden armor (ATK: 2450), "And when a Harpie's summoned, I can destroy a spell/trap card on your field. So I'll sacrifice my Hysteric Signs spell," the card was destroyed afterwards, "Time for battle! Harpie Lady 1, see what kind of monster he's hiding! Attack!" the pink-haired harpie swooped down and tore into the set monster, which then rose to the field in the form of a vase-like ornament with a small tree at the top, "What kind of monster is that?"

"(2) A Fiber Jar(3/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)!" Jason answered, "It has a flip-effect that returns all cards from the hand, field and graveyard to the deck!" the jar then hovered high over the arena, the bulb on the bottom pointed down and glowing, then unleashed a powerful blast of gold energy down to the field. The blast hit with full-force which shoved away all the cards on the field, afterwards which both duelists shuffled their respective cards into their decks, "After that, both players draw five cards from their deck!"

* * *

><p>"He just cleared the field and gained a new hand!" Rock cheered, "And both from just one card!"<p>

"And quite a powerful card as well," Aspen nodded, "I'm just glad he decided to take my advice."

* * *

><p>"I had to admit, that was a bit unexpected," Jasmine said, "You finally decided to make improvements to that deck of yours. But let's see if you can hold out longer than a couple of turns. I activate the Double Summon spell card! This card allows me to summon an extra monster this turn. And the monster I'm summoning will be Harpie Queen in ATK mode!" the emerald pony-tailed Harpie appeared (ATK: 1900), "And I equip her with this Cyber Shield spell, making her 500 ATK and DEF points stronger, and look good doing it!" Harpie Queen was now suited with a steel corset and bladed armbands (ATK: 2400), "Now, attack his life-points directly!" Harpie Queen soared across the field and slashed at Jason with her sharp talons.<p>

**Jasmine: 4000**

**Jason: 100**

"And with that, I end my turn; but not before activating the effect of my Hysteric Sign spell card! Remember, when that card was sent to the graveyard, I can add up to three Harpie cards from my deck to my hand."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization! With an Elemental Hero monster and an earth-attribute monster in my hand, I can summon the Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two monsters merged into the earth-armored Hero (ATK: 2200), "And when this monster is summoned to the field, the ATK points of one of an opponent's monster are cut in half, while Gaia gains that same amount!" Gaia smashed the ground and sent an underground shockwave that struck Harpie Queen from underneath.

Harpie Queen: (ATK: 1200)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 3400)

"Elemental Hero Gaia, attack Harpie Queen!" Gaia reeled his giant arm back before slamming it into the Harpie, destroying her.

**Jasmine: 1800**

**Jason: 100**

"Next, I activate the magic card De-Fusion!" Jason played the quick-play spell, "This card returns a fusion-monster on my field to my deck and lets me summon the monsters I used to fusion-summon it from my graveyard!" Gaia vanished from the field before being replaced by Elemental Hero Lady Heat (ATK: 1200) and Elemental Hero Knospe (ATK: 600), "Lady Heat and Knospe, attack her life-points directly!" with a powerful burst of fire and plant seeds, Jasmine was knocked back on her bottom before her life-points dropped.

J**asmine: 0**

**Jason: 100**

* * *

><p>"Looks like we got a winner!" Rock shot up from his seat, as the rest of the class exclaimed with either cheering or muttering.<p>

"Took him long enough to get his act and his deck together," Aspen said.

* * *

><p>"I can't believe I lost!" Jasmine groaned as she rose back on her feet, shooting a confused glare towards Jason, 'I don't get it. I had him totally outclassed the last times we battled, and now he manages to beat me on one move? What's with this guy…?" she then watched as Jason came up to her, wondering what he wanted until he brought his hand out.<p>

"Good job…?" Jason meekly asked.

After staring at the open hand for a moment, "Yeah, you too…" she sighed before spinning around stepping off the platform, leaving Jason confused.

"Alright, the hard part's over," Crowler said nonchalantly as he approached Jason with a clipboard, "Now it's time for the final score. Let's see…" he poked his nose closer to the clipboard and skimmed through the score, before pulling back with a serious look, "Well, I'll admit I didn't expect this. Not only did you finish the Duel in only two of your turns, you also managed to take all of your opponent's points in a single battle-phase, so…"

"So…did I pass?" Jason asked.

Crowler lowered his board with his hands on his side, "You want a medal? Oh course you passed!" he snapped. Jason sighed in relief.

Among the class who watched the match, Chakra was there as well solemnly standing on the railings, 'I didn't have high hopes when I saw who's facing who, I'll admit that. But you managed to take your opponent by surprise despite the odds stacked against you. That's the basic weapon every duelist has to rely on. But as for you, it needs to be your best weapon if you want to stay in Duel Academy."

"I hope you can do homework as well as you can Duel," Crowler said, "Because you'll be having a lot of it."

Jason froze on his way off the platform and looked over to Crowler, "Excuse me?"

"Oh, didn't I say? Learning how to Duel is the least of your worries compared to your schoolwork. You still have to make up all the tests and quizzes you failed. So happy cramming tonight!" Crowler strolled off with a small chuckle. Jason was left looking forward to an entire night of homework and tests. And it could be a long one.

* * *

><p><strong>TO BE CONTINUED...<strong>

**DUEL-MON DATABASE**

**(1) Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon**

**Stats: [Dragon/Effect] LV4 ATK/1200 DEF/ 600**

**Attribute: WIND**

**Effect: This card gains effects based on the number of "Harpie" monsters you control, except "Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon".**

**● 1 or more: Your opponent cannot target "Harpie" monsters you control for attacks, except "Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon".**  
><strong>● 2 or more: Double the original ATK and DEF of this card.<strong>  
><strong>● 3 or more: Once per turn: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target.<strong>

**(2) Fiber Jar**

**Stats: [Plant/Effect] LV3 ATK/500 DEF/ 500**

**Attribute: EARTH**

**Effect: FLIP: Each player shuffles all cards from their hand, field, and Graveyard into the Deck, then draws 5 cards.**

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	33. Tales from the Tombs: Part 1

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

* * *

><p>This semester has become very dull for Calypso. It was like nothing happens of interest anymore, despite everything that's been going on lately. There was the Duel-Off tournament, then the School Duels, but none of that interests Hero in the slightest. She wants something that would liven things up around here. Because a little while longer of boredom and she might just give Duel Academy some excitement herself.<p>

"Ugh, that's the last time I mix chili sauce with ice cream..." and as usual, some Sliced stumbles out of their little hole to the bathroom. Typical as usual, "Oh. Whoops, this isn't the bathroom." And they suddenly find themselves in the teacher's office. What else is new.

_"You are not here to ask why, you are here to obey,"_ well, this is new; sounds interesting too.

"But Jaden is one of our best students! He could get buried alive!"

_"If the tomb shall be the end of Jaden Yuki then so be it. But his true potential must be tested!"_

Hearing all he needed to, Syrus decided to back away before he could be caught, 'Tested? In a tomb?! Where he could be buried alive?! Some thing tells me this test isn't mid-terms!'

"So, someone's decided to cause trouble…" a small smile crept on Calypso's face, "Finally things are starting to get interesting in this dinky little island. Well count me in."

* * *

><p>"So, as you can see, we can learn a great deal of dueling from alchemy," It was a boring next day in school in Professor Banner's chemistry class. And as usual the soft-spoken teacher was standing over a desk full of beakers and burners, "Just as you might combine two monsters to create another, you can combine two compounds to create something <em>equally<em> impressive…" he would think he knew what he was doing when he poured a vial of substance into a beaker of another. But it turned out the two don't mix and caused an explosion instead. The smoke thinned out showing Banner covered in soot and on the verge of collapse, "Or _equally_ devastating…" he groaned before he fell over.

But one comic mishap wasn't enough brighten the mood, so Calypso tried entertaining herself by slinging a marble with a rubber band at Jason's head. But bad timing while he bent down to pick up his eraser caused her to hit Noire from the next row down.

Thankfully the bell rang to signal the end of class. Jaden yawned and woke up. Apparently he got this idea to draw dots over his lids so no one would know the difference, "Morning, guys. Learn anything good today?"

Sure did; to duck," Syrus replied beside him.

"Oh, I almost forgot," Banner rose and brushes himself off, "I'm, uh, planning, uh, a little field-trip."

"Yeah? To where?" Jaden asked in excitement, "Circus? Carnival?"

"Even better!" Banner smiled, "We're gonna be taking a ten-mile hike all the way to the excavated ruins, where we will be taking geologic core samples!" that seemed to catch Calypso's attention, linking it with the conversation Banner had last night, "Saturday at 7AM. Don't be late!"

* * *

><p>Saturday morning came and Banner's class met near the main building, or who in his class wanted to show up. Only Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley were there, as well as Rock, Alexis and Noire, "That's all…?" Banner frowned in confusion, "Where is everyone else?"<p>

"They're probably sleeping, Professor…" Syrus yawned, "You know, in their nice soft beds… with their nice comfy pillows…"

"Just _I_ would be doing if Banner didn't threaten us with detention if we didn't show…" Chumley muttered, "It's 7AM in the morning. I need my beauty-sleep!"

"I'll tell you what the secret to getting up early is..." Jaden grinned, "Staying up all night long!"

"To tell you the truth, I could hardly sleep either!" Alexis said, "These ruins we're going to used to host the shadow games."

"That's sweet! Maybe you'll find some clues there," Jaden whispered, "you know, about your missing brother."

"Yeah. That's what I was hoping…"

"Wait!" a distant voice called out. They all turned to see Jason coming towards them, who was actually dragged along by Calypso.

"Oh! It looks like we have two more joining after all!" Banner said as two more slifers joined the group.

"I hope we're not too late, Professor Banner," Calypso said, breathless with a mask of light-heartedness in contrast to her usual attitude, "We were so excited last night that we made extra sure not to be late. Right, Jason?" it appears that Jason wasn't paying attention since he was still half-way asleep, "I said '_Right, Jason_'?" she gave him a sharp jab on Jason's arm and forced him awake.

"Hmn?!" Jason gasped and met a dangerous glare snuck by Calypso, "Um, right! Right!"

"Well I'm glad there are more of you that would appreciate archaeology like I do. Now we must be careful as we approach the ruins," Banner continued, instructing the others to look into their PDAs for, "Inside is an ancient tomb..."

Syrus drowned out the rest of Banner's lecture at the word 'tomb', "Jaden, I need to talk to you…" he whispered.

"But I—"

He pulled Jaden to the side earning a confused look from him, "I think Banner wants to bury you! He was talking about a tomb and _you_ in it!"

"Just because I fell asleep in class?" Jaden snickered, "Does the school board know about this?"

"I heard him say it last night!"

"Sy, this is starting to sound like another chili-sauce-nightmare."

"Okay everyone, let's go!" Banner said and lead everyone to the woods.

'Don't say I didn't warn you…' Syrus thought as he followed.

* * *

><p>The group spent most of the morning hiking to their destination. There was a lot of complaining along the way, one more than others…<p>

"Are we almost there? My feet really hurt."

* * *

><p>"Can we take a bathroom break or something?"<p>

* * *

><p>"I hate climbing!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I hate crawling!"<p>

* * *

><p>"I hate hiking! Are we there yet? I'm hungry!"<p>

By that time Calypso was at her wit's end, "Well, Chumley, I saw some red berries a while back that—"

"Oh look! We're here!" Banner exclaimed in triumph, happy to bring Chumley's complaining to an end and at the same time, conveniently stopped Calypso from poisoning her fellow slifer The students looked what's directly in front of them: a large broken stone archway with other stone ruins past it, "Isn't it just amazing!"

Jaden looked around in awe at the site, "They looked all ruined!"

"That's 'cause they're _ruins_," Alexis pointed out.

"It's beautiful! You can still see the faded remains of the oculus!" Banner could barely contain his excitement as he looked around, "Ooh, and the phastigium! No doubt inspired by a meniment of Saka'Ra!"

"He sure looks excited to see some rocks," Syrus said while sitting on a rock with Chumley.

"Yeah, well I'm just excited to sit down," Chumley groaned.

'And I'm just excited to finally get five minutes in without anymore whining…' Calypso thought, leaning against the nearby post.

"And while we're at it, how about we _chow_ down!" Jaden grinned and prepared a picnic with the others.

"I don't see why not," Banner agreed, "And then, we'll hit a few cenotaphs, some coyatephs, a couple of sarcophaguses..."

"No more big words…please!" Rock groaned, feeling his head starting to burst.

"Or is it sarcophagi…No matter, time to eat," he sat on his own private spot and looked into his bag, "I _love_ pizza."

"You get pizza while we're stuck with…" Jaden shot up and faced his teacher with handfuls of mashed-up lumps of rice, "whatever it is I'm holding?!"

"Yeah, what is this?!" Rock complained, "It looks like something you scrape out of a slow-cooker!"

"Well you at least got soda with ya, right?" Chumley asked Rock, wishfully pleading, "_Please_ tell me you do!"

"Hey, Professor! What about those six-packs you said you'd hold onto for me?!"

"You got soda too?!" Jaden said, "C'mon, at least let us have something to wet our whistles!"

"I'm your teacher! I need a big meal to, uh, teach you all!" Banner snapped back in defense and went back to rummaging, "That's funny. I don't remember having a 'fur' topping on my pizza…" it was when Pharaoh popped out with crumbs on his mouth. Mashed-together rice was bad enough but now Banner was left with nothing, except for a fat cat in a bag full of empty cans, "You were supposed to stay at home, not hitch a ride in my bag and eat my lunch!" Banner sulked and turned to the only people around with any food, "Maybe you could share your lunch with me?"

"Sorry, but we're your students and we need this to learn!" Jaden replied, mocking him with his own usual expression with everyone else.

"Yeah. Beside, you weren't gonna share," Chumley added.

Banner flinched, "But _of course_ I was gonna share!"

"Share what, pepperoni breath all day?" Alexis countered.

"Look, I got mints! Anyone want a mint? See, I'm sharing!"

While the others were arguing, Pharaoh decided to walk off his food until he noticed something halfway buried nearby. He dug it up until be found a stone disc carved in symbols. With just one touch he accidentally triggered something as the disc's center green gem starts to flash and glow a bright light. Pharaoh shrieked and ran back to Banner as rays of light burst from the ground.

"What's going on?!" Jaden exclaimed as he shot to his feet with the others. Alright flash occurred before everyone regained their sight.

"That is one powerful mint…" Chumley muttered.

"Is anyone else seeing in triplicate...?" Banner asked nervously, pointing upward. Everyone looked up to the sky to the one sun separate into three.

Chumley's mouth dropped as the sky around the began to warp and twist in different colors, "Man, this is the most luscious field-trip ever."

"This must be what true happiness is…" Noire mumbled, slack-jawed.

"Oh wow! That's neato!" Syrus exclaimed in awe.

Jaden could only looked back to earth as his Winged Kuriboh appeared, calling for him, "What's that?" Kuriboh replied with another hoot, "We should run? But it looks so cool..." on cue the sky roared with thunder and flashed with lightning.

"Everyone run for cover!" Banner exclaimed and everyone followed, running to find shelter from the storm, "We'll find safety over in that sepelcur!"

"_The what?!_"

"The building with the hole in it!" everyone scampered to a nearby alcove. Nearly everyone managed to crawl inside except for a small few, which were Calypso, Jason and Jaden, the last one who was staring up at the storm.

"It's getting a little cramped back here!" Rock's voice muffled from inside.

"I don't think there is any room left!" Noire's voice muffled.

"Then _make_ room!" Calypso exclaimed over the hole, "You think I wanna be caught out here?!"

"Then you guys find some more shelter!" Jaden called out to the two other Slifers, "I'll lead this storm away!"

"Jaden!" Alexis called as Jaden went running off.

"Where's he going?" Chumley asked.

"He's 'going' nuts!" Syrus exclaimed.

Another round of thunder alarmed the two Slifers outside, "I'm not sitting around in the open! It's every girl for herself!" Calypso jumped onto the path and sprinted off, while Jason went searching for cover. But he only went as far as to black out…

* * *

><p>Stirring back to consciousness, Jason woke up in the same place he fell, or he thought he did as he slowly surveyed the area around him. The stone buildings near him seemed new to him compared to what he saw before. They don't seem like ruins anymore.<p>

'What is this?' he thought to himself. Jason turned to a close-by 'thwack' and fell over when be was met with a large spear stuck to the ground right at his feet. He looked up to a nearby hill and spotted a group of men in open black robes, all with spears in hand.

"Who are you, stranger!" one of them demanded in a loud voice. Jason was scared at the moment that he had trouble trying to reply. And it didn't help when one of them tossed a spear at him. Jason scrambled back when the spear stuck itself a fair distance away from him, "We asked you a question, boy!"

"I-I don't know!" Jason stammered, "I was running from a storm and I woke up here!"

"Silence!" one of the soldiers snapped back, "You are trespassing on hallowed ground, and therefore must be punished!" the group jumped from the hill and inched slowly towards Jason.

Jason wanted to run and hide but before he could, something glowed out of his blazer's pocket and jumped out, sending streaks of light between him and the soldiers. They were now holding wooden sticks with the spearheads falling at their feet. A small boy in white and blue armor now stood in front of them with a sword in his hand. Jason remembered that boy from before…

"Silent Swordsman…?" the level-3 warrior from Jason's deck was standing between him and the soldiers, ready to strike with his blade. Without weapons of their own, the soldiers backed away.

"You will not get away with this!" one of them barked before they all ran away.

With the assailants now gone, Silent Swordsman turned to face Jason, who was looking back at him. Jason was trying to process how one of his monsters came out and saved him. He slowly got up and stared at the one-eyed swordsman, while the monster stared back with a blank look himself. When the swordsman took his eye off him it seemed to widen when he looked past Jason's side. The slider quickly looked over his shoulder following the swordman's sightline towards a giant column nearby, where something just moved behind it.

Jason didn't know what to expect as he turned around and stared at the pillar. He tilted his head to the side to get a clue on whoever's hiding behind it, getting a glimpse of black fabric and a brief head of hair when the quickly peeked over before pulling back.

"Is anyone out there?" Jason called, but no one answered past the column, "I don't want any trouble, I'm just kind of lost!"

A girl stepped out from behind the pillar. She had dark skin that reminded Jason of Chakra or Aspen, with short hair that's a very light shade of blue and gold earrings. She wore a black robe with gold bands on her upper-arms, "You're with them, aren't you," she asked in a questioning tone."

Jason's eyes narrowed a bit, "Them who?"

"The other people wearing the same clothes you are," the girl said, looking over Jason's clothes, "Well?"

By then Jason figured out what she was talking about, "That's it! I was on a trip with them!" Jason took a step forward but noticed the girl backed away. So he stepped back to mind her distance, "Can you help me find them?"

"None are you are supposed to be here," the girl replied with a cynical tone, "You're on hallowed ground. That means 'no trespassers'."

"I don't even know how I got here," Jason said, "If you don't want anyone here, we can just leave."

"Not that simple," the girl shook her head, "Your group are no doubt caught by the guards and now are facing judgement."

Jason's eyes widened, "Face judgement?!"

"That's what I said. So if you don't want to get caught by the guards you better leave while you have the time!" the girl turned around and left for elsewhere.

But Jason just couldn't take that for an answer, "I can't do that! If the others are in trouble I can't just leave them!" he rushed over to catch up and quickly stopped in her path, "Can't you help me find them?"

The girl recoiled with a disgusted expression, "I'm sorry, I must have forgotten the part where _your_ problem becomes mine," she closed in, causing Jason himself to recoil, "In fact, what's stopping me from turning you in right now?"

"I just want to get back home with my friends," That was all Jason could think of to say.

Since nothing else came to mind to push him away, the girl sighed, "Fine, have it your way. Come with me so you don't get lost."

As the girl turned and walked a different direction, Jason felt a tug on his coat and looked down to see Silent Swordsman giving him a nod.

"Well, c'mon!" the girl called, "You wanna get your friends or don't you?"

Not wanting to get left behind, Jason and Silent Swordsman caught up.

* * *

><p>They kept following the girl until they got closer to their destination, which was a large stone pyramid-like building. There they could see someone approaching, a tall girl with tied-back black hair wearing black robes and a gold headband, "Wait here…" the girl told Jason and ran up to meet the older girl. After a moment of talking, the two walked up and approached Jason and Silent Swordsman.<p>

"I was told you you're here to rescue your friends, is that true?" The taller girl asked and Jason nodded, "Then that is convenient. One of them is already waiting for you. I will take you to him."

* * *

><p>The two natives led Jason into the temple where far enough inside they entered a room where they met another student sitting against a wall.<p>

"Jason!" Jaden stood up, "You alright?"

"I'm fine," Jason entered the room, "Do you know where the others are?"

Jaden shook his head, "Just that we need to find them and get out of here. I got a feeling this place isn't exactly welcome to outsiders."

"That's putting it mildly…" the shorter girl muttered.

"Then you two will stay here," the taller girl said, "If either of you are found walking about, you'll be of no use to your friends. I'll be back." The then turned and returned to the hallway with the shorter girl following.

* * *

><p>The boys did as they were told and waited in the dark room waiting for them to return.<p>

"What's taking so long?" Jaden groaned, "Is she ever gonna come back?" the only other person in the room didn't reply, but he was thinking the same thing, "Wait a sec, what if she's working for them?"

"I don't want to think about it…" Jason replied after a long time, "If they're in trouble and we're in trouble, who would save us?"

"That's a scary thought…"

"Someone! Help us!" a shrilled voice reached their ears.

"That was Alexis!" Jaden jumped out of his seat, then clinging onto a high-risen stone window, "Jason, you might wanna take a look at this!"

"What do you see?" Jason asked, but then felt something sharp poking from behind.

"Our friends! And from the looks of it they're not doing too good! This so bad. We need to—"

"Get down from there," a low voice growled.

"Move _towards_ the sharp objects?" Jaden said, feeling a sharp object poking his backside, "You gotta be kidding!"

"Now."

"Alright, alright," Jaden pulled away from the window and dropped down next to Jason, "You ever hear of a handshake?" he was met by as series of spearheads, carried by the same guards Jason met earlier. Both students backed away with their hands up, "I guess not!" behind the guardsmen stood a man with a black beard wearing a black fabric headress. He also wore a white-and-black robe with a black cape on it, "Aw, where's my manners? Introductions first: I'm Jaden Yuki. And your name would be?"

"I am the (1) Gravekeeper's Chief(5/ATK: 1900/DEF: 1200)," the bearded man replied, "and you have traversed upon the sacred tomb that I protect."

"Hey, sounds good to me, pal!" Jaden gulped, "So how about we just go and grab our friends downstairs, say our goodbyes to you. We'll just zip back to the dimension we came from!"

"That is not possible."

"But why not?"

"Because, fool, you have tread upon my domain, and you will be punished along with your friends."

"But you can't," Jason blurted, "I'm sorry we were trespassing, but we were only on a field trip somewhere else. We never knew this place existed and we don't even know how we ever got here."

"How or why you arrived here is unimportant," the Gravekeeper's Chief countered, "Trespassers must be penalized, simple as that."

"Oh c'mon, can't we just pay a fine or something?" Jaden asked, trying to lower the javelins.

"You cannot."

"Oh yeah? Then _you_ can't point your spears at me!" now all spearheads were pointed at a recoiling Jason, while Jaden with looking down a barrel of a nearby shoulder-mounted cannon, "Or whatever _that_ is…?" he added, trying to keep a light mood.

The chief chucked, "You show such spirit, stranger. I shall pardon your trespasses…given you can survive my challenge. What is your answer?"

"Well, what's the challenge?" the chief brought out a deck of duel-monster cards as an answer to Jaden's curious question. It was then the spears were removed, "A duel? Now you're speaking my language! I'll take you on, but only if you pardon all of my friends along with me, deal?"

"And since you are the only two not captured…" the chief turned his gaze over to Jason, "This challenge applies to you as well, unless you would like to join your friends…" Jason only sane reply is to shake his head, "Then so be it, _if_ you win."

"For my friends, there's no 'if' about it, pal," Jaden reached into his book bag and grabbed his duel-disk, "I'll win."

"But if you don't, you will be punished," the chief sneered, "You will be buried alive."

Even Jaden didn't expect such high stakes as he shared an exclaimed expression with his slifer friend, "Buried alive?!" Jaden repeated and shuddered, "But then who will protect my friends?!"

"Fear not. They will be buried along with you!"

* * *

><p>Both Jason and Jaden stood as a team on one side while the chief stood on the opposite. The chief himself had his duel-disk equipped, his styled like a conch with a gem as a base, with a straight edge materialized as the tray. They were both standing on top of the pyramid, where the center was a hollow, bottomless pit where hovering over it at the ground floor lay a group of coffins. Inside and bandaged, were everyone else the two Slifers traveled to the ruins with, Syrus and Chumley, Alexis and Noire, Professor Banner and Pharaoh.<p>

"Wait…" Jaden looked closer through the captives, "Where's Rock? I don't see him in there!"

"Yes, there was another one among them…" the Chief turned towards some of the nearby guards, who came out dragging someone.

"Rock…?" Jason muttered in surprise.

"It's Rock!" Jaden exclaimed. The guards tossed Rock onto the floor where he lay there groaning. Jaden shot his gaze over to the chief, "This was your doing, isn't it?!"

The Chief smirked, "He accepted my challenge with similar stakes and lost. Consider this his second chance. Because you will not get a third, because a loss from either of you will doom you all."

* * *

><p>"Good luck, we're all rooting for you!" Banner called from his coffin, "Very, very much so!"<p>

"C'mon, save us!" Chumley pleaded.

* * *

><p>"Don't worry! You'll all be fine!" Jaden called to his friends, "(as long as we beat this guy…)" he looked back up to surface at Jason, "You ready?"<p>

"Ready…" Jason nodded and activated his duel-disk.

"Alright," Jaden smiled and glared back at the Chief, "Alright! Get you game on!"

**Chief: 8000**

**Jaden: 4000**

**Jason: 4000**

"Get my 'game on'?" the Chief glared back, drawing his sixth card, "What do you speak of?"

"Sheesh! It's a figure of speech," Jaden pouted, "You know, like _slang_?"

"It's like 'slang'?" the Chief growled, "How dare you; speak to me with a rotten tongue of a filthy serpent!" he dropped a card on his duel-disk and a set monster appeared, "I play a card face-down in DEF mode, thus ending my turn."

"And starting mine!" Jaden drew his sixth card. It was then his Winged Kuriboh appeared looking over his shoulder, "Hey, Winged Kuriboh! It's good to see you, bud. Now watch this! I summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman!" the armored water-firing hero appeared (ATK: 800), "And he's got some pop! 'Cause when he's summoned when there's nothing else out, then I'm allowed to draw 2 more cards from my deck!" Jaden swiped up his two cards and met two familiar monsters, "Sweetness!" Winged Kuriboh hooted in agreement, 'I hear ya,' Jaden nodded, 'with these two waitin' in the wings, it's just a matter of time before the wing_man_ show up!' "Alright, next I throw down a face-down and end my turn!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I set one monster in DEF mode," a set monster appeared, "Then I place one card face-down and end my turn."

"It's my turn," the Chief drew his next card, "I summon (2) Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier (4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)," a man in black robes appeared carrying a spear (ATK: 1500), "I hope you Bubbleman's draw provided you with two very good cards, because already he's outmatched in battle, and soon to be outnumbered as well. I now summon, in ATK mode, (3) Gravekeeper's Guard(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1900)!" the set monster flipped over a larger man with black robes appeared carrying a three-pronged spear (ATK: 1000). Jason then noticed those two monsters were the same class of guards that chased after him, "And his effect lets me return a monster that's out to it's owner's hand. And the monster I choose, is Bubbleman!" ripples of red energy emitted from the Guard, so bright it can be seen from the coffins the others were in.

* * *

><p>"Ooh, red…"<p>

"That's not a good thing, Chum!" Syrus whimpered.

* * *

><p>Jaden watched as Bubbleman vanished from the field, then reappeared straight back into his hand, "He's back?!"<p>

And now that you are unguarded, Jaden, I'll attack you directly! Gravekeeper's Guard! Blazing Blade strike!" the three-pronged spear holder charged towards Jaden.

"I activate my trap card, Shift!" Jason quickly opened his reverse-card, "This card switches the target of your monster's attack to another one!" Gravekeeper's Guard's path had been blocked by a set monster that switched from Jason's field to Jaden's, which became Phantom Magician before it was destroyed, "And when Phantom Magician is destroyed in battle and sent to the graveyard, I can special-summon an Elemental Hero monster from my deck with 1000-or-less ATK points. So I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in DEF mode!" the wood-limbed hero appeared (DEF: 2000).

"Perhaps, but Spearholder still has his attack!" the chief then ordered his second monster, "Lunging Spear Assault!" the second monster roared and jumped towards Jaden, jabbing the Slifer in the stomach with his spear.

**Chief: 8000**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

Jaden doubled over from the major impact of the attack. He looked over towards his Winged Kuriboh, "I felt that…this is real!" he kept clutching his shoulder waiting for the pain to leave.

* * *

><p>Down below, the lids hanging against the coffins began closing in by a small margin, causing the captives to panic "Hello! No joke it's real!" Banner exclaimed.<p>

"Okay, I think that I'm getting it now," Jaden grunted, "This duel isn't just about our life-_points_; it's about our _lives_!"

"Yes," the Chief chuckled, then pointed towards the coffins, "and theirs."

"I'm claustrophobic!" Syrus whimpered, "For real!"

"So am I! If it'll get me outta here!" Chumley said.

* * *

><p>"Now, to end my turn I place one card face-down." A reverse-card appeared on the Chief's field.<p>

"It's my turn!" Jaden drew his next card, "and I play the spell card Polymerization! Avian and Burstinatrix, combine to create the Flame Wingman!" the two monsters merged to form the dragon-wielding hero (ATK: 2100), "So, did Bubbleman give me 2 very good cards? Well, see for yourself! Because from both of them came _him_, and this next attack!" Flame Wingman fired a stream of flame that destroyed the Spearholder.

**Chief: 7400**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

"Don't even think your outta the fire yet! 'Cause for every ATK point Spearholder had, you now take damage for!" the fusion-monster took aim and fired a larger fireball the burst against the chief.

**Chief: 5900**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

"Next, I summon on up Wroughtweiler in DEF mode!" the robotic metal dog stood guard (DEF: 1200), "And that'll do it!"

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I activate Elemental Hero Woodsman's effect and add Polymerization from my deck to my hand," he added the spell card from his deck, "Next I summon Elemental Hero Knospe in ATK mode," the flowerbud hero appeared (ATK: 600), "And even when there's a monster on the opponent's side of the field, she can still attack them directly!" Knospe then fired a series of projectile seeds that hit the chief.

**Chief: 5300**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

"And when Knospe inflicts damage, 100 points go from her DEF points to her ATK points (ATK: 700/DEF: 900), "Then I end my turn."

"Alright, make your move!" Jaden demanded to the Chief, "'Cause quicker we win this thing, the quicker we can get our friends back!"

The chief smirked, "Or the quicker they'll be sent to their doom," the Chief smirked before drawing his next card, "First I'll change my Gravekeeper's Guard DEF mode. And then I'll place a face-down monster in DEF mode as well," the guard knelt down and a set monster appeared, "Next, I activate the card I set earlier, Ultimate Offering," the set card opened, "This allows me to bring a monster to the field at the cost of 500 of my points. So I'll use this 500 to place another one face-down," another set monster appeared, "That will end my turn."

"Guess you don't know the first rule about duel-monsters…" Jaden drew his next card, "A good defense is a sweet offense. And who better to teach you the rules than Flame Wingman! Now here goes! Attack! Inferno Rage!" Flame Wingman elevated to the sky and launched a searing fireball that destroyed Gravekeeper's Guard. His effect came soon after.

**Chief: 3800**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

"Oh yeah! That's it for me!" Jaden concluded.

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card, "I summon Elemental Hero Heat in ATK mode," the flame-fisted hero appeared (ATK: 1600), "And he gains 200 ATK points for every Elemental Hero that I control, including Heat himself (ATK: 2200). Now Elemental Hero Knospe will attack you directly!" Knospe fired another round of seeds.

**Chief: 3000**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 4000**

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 800/DEF: 800)

"Then I place one card face-down and end my turn," a reverse-card appeared.

"It is now my turn," the Chief drew his next card, "I play Pot of Greed. Now I can draw two cards from my deck," after drawing two cards, he sneered over the results.

'I don't like that look…' Jaden thought, noticing the smirk.

"I shall summon (4) Gravekeeper's Assailant(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500) in ATK mode. And she will be joined by the mysticism of (5) Gravekeeper's Curse(3/ATK: 800/DEF: 800), and the support of (6) Gravekeeper's Spy(4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 2000)," another Gravekeeper appeared in a long black cloak wielding a cloaked dagger. From the released long legs this one was female (ATK: 1500). Another one of the set monsters rose as a Gravekeeper with braided hair and held a curved staff (ATK: 800), the last was revealed as a man in black robes and turban (ATK: 1200), "And now I activate the effect of Gravekeeper's Curse, an effect that deliver unto you 500 points of damage!" Curse's staff seemed to grow as a high-pitched sound came out of nowhere.

"That sound!" Jaden winched from the noise.

**Chief: 3000**

**Jaden: 2000**

**Jason: 4000**

"It's worse than Chumley's snoring…!"

"Next comes Gravekeeper's Spy's effect, which let's me special-summon another Gravekeeper monster with and ATK power of 1500-or-less from my deck, like my (7) Gravekeeper's Descendant(4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1200)," another Gravekeeper with spiked blonde hair wearing an open black robe and top appeared (ATK: 1500), "Finally, by paying 500 of my life-points from Ultimate Offering, I summon (8) Gravekeeper's Recruiter(3/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1500) from my hand," another person appeared in black robes, with a scar shaped like hieroglyphs across the right side of his face (ATK: 1200).

"You gotta do better than that!" Jaden challenged.

"Very well then," the Chief held up his next card, "Perhaps this card will suffice: I cast Necrovalley!" the Slifers watched in amazement as the tomb they were standing on became a huge valley above and a dusty fog below. Each duelist were now standing on top of a giant rock pillar arranged to face one another, while their monsters floated over the void.

"Not good…" Jaden groaned.

"As long as this card remains on the field, the power of Necrovalley will add 500 ATK and DEF points to my Gravekeepers."

"What?!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant: (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000)

Gravekeeper's Curse: (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1300)

Gravekeeper's Spy: (ATK: 1700/DEF: 2500)

Gravekeeper's Descendant: (ATK: 2000/DEF: 1700)

Gravekeeper's Recruiter: (ATK: 1700/DEF: 2000)

"Now, Gravekeeper's Assailant, attack Flame Wingman!" Assailant charged forth with her dagger.

"What, you got sand in your eyes or something?" Jaden argued, "Can't you see Wingman still has more points? Unless you some sort of—"

"Special-ability? Yes, the Assailant does, actually. And it allows her to change the battle-mode of your Wingman from ATK to DEF!" the Assailant's eyes flashed and soon after Flame Wingman was forced to one knee.

"Oh man…" Jaden turned from his monster to the Chief, "Man, you really know how to duel!"

"Then best is yet to come. Attack him!" the Assailant charged forth as her dagger grew into a sword. She instantly vanished only to reappear behind Flame Wingman. The Elemental Hero could only look over his shoulder long enough to see the end of a blade coming right towards him…

"I activate my trap card!" Jason shouted and opened his reverse-card. The Assailant paid no mind as she advanced her attack, but then everything went black. She was left struggling with the hood being pulled over her eyes. And looming over behind her was a small, clown-like spirit laughing.

"What kind of monster is that…?" the Chief's eyes widened.

"That's the trap card I activated, Reverse Trap!" Jason explained, "It reverses card-effects that increases or decreases ATK and DEF points, which means the effect of your Necrovalley field-spell now decreases the ATK and DEF points of your Gravekeeper monsters until the end of this turn!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant: (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)

Gravekeeper's Curse: (ATK: 300/DEF: 300)

Gravekeeper's Spy: (ATK: 700/DEF: 1500)

Gravekeeper's Descendant: (ATK: 1000/DEF: 700)

Gravekeeper's Recruiter: (ATK: 700/DEF: 1000)

Elemental Hero Knospe: (ATK: 400/DEF: 1200)

Elemental Hero Heat: (ATK: 1000)

"And now that her ATK points are lower, Flame Wingman can now counterattack!" Flame Wingman too that chance to launch a quick fireball from his dragonhead that swatted the Assailant away.

**Chief: 2800**

**Jaden: 2000**

**Jason: 4000**

"So, you managed to stop my Gravekeepers from destroying you," the Chief growled as the Assailant hovered back to his side and finally managed to pull her hood back, glaring at the phantom blowing a raspberry, "But they can still destroy your monsters. I activate my Descendant's special-ability!" Gravekeeper's Descendant stepped forward, "You see for each monster I sacrifice, I can destroy a card on your field. So Gravekeeper's Curse, Spy and Recruiter's usefulness has expired," the three Gravekeepers vanished from the field, "As well as your Heat, Flame Wingman and Wroughtweiler!" the Descendant raised a gold staff out in front of him. The eyes of its cobra head flashed and sent volts of red energy on the three monsters. Soon they were turned to stone before falling down through the fog.

"Whoopsy. Forget his special-effect?" Jaden smugly replied, "When he's destroyed, I get 2 cards back from the grave: and Elemental Hero and Polymerization!"

"You have the wisdom of dirt," the chief spat back, "Necrovalley negates that effect!"

"Huh?!"

"Any spell, trap or monster effect involving the graveyard is completely useless! Just as you have proven to be in your attempts to rescue your friends. Don't you see? Both you and your cards are futile here!"

* * *

><p>"No. I refuse to believe it!" Alexis whimpered, "I know they'll find a way…"<p>

"I hope…" Chummy said.

"Oh no, it's no use!" Banner moaned, "We're done for!"

"That's not true, Professor Banner!" Syrus said, "They're still winning! Just look at the score!"

"Forget the score, look at the field! Jaden has no monsters out and the Gravekeeper's Chief has two! If they manage to attack, it's over!"

"So if they lose…then we'll be trapped inside these coffins? Buried deep underground with no way out…?" Noire began imagining that worst-case situation, and that caused her to start panicking, "But I'm too young to be buried! You better win, okay?! Do you hear me?! I said you better win!"

* * *

><p>'How did this happen?' Jaden grimaced in silence, 'We set out looking for ruins, and suddenly we're about to become some! This is no joke; if I don't get my game on, we're all gonna be <em>long<em> gone!' he kept glaring towards the Gravekeeper's Chief who kept laughing in confidence…

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Gravekeeper's Chief**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV5 ATK/1900 DEF/ 1200**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: You can only control 1 face-up "Gravekeeper's Chief". Your Graveyard is unaffected by "Necrovalley". When this card is Tribute Summoned: You can target 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target.**

**(2) Gravekeeper's Spear Holder**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1500 DEF/ 1000**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing Battle Damage to your opponent.**

**(3) Gravekeeper's Guard**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1000 DEF/ 1900**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: FLIP: Target 1 monster your opponent controls; return that target to the hand.**

**(4) Gravekeeper's Assailant**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1500 DEF/ 1500**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card declares an attack while "Necrovalley" is on the field: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; change that target's battle position.**

**(5) Gravekeeper's Curse**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV3 ATK/800 DEF/ 800**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card is Summoned: Inflict 500 damage to your opponent.**

**(6) Gravekeeper's Spy**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1200 DEF/ 2000**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: FLIP: Special Summon 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck.**

**(7) Gravekeeper's Descendant**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1500 DEF/ 1200**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: You can Tribute 1 other face-up "Gravekeeper's" monster to target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target.**

**(8) Gravekeeper's Recruiter**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV7 ATK/1200 DEF/ 1500**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: When this card you control is sent to your Graveyard: Add 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster with 1500 or less DEF from your Deck to your hand.**

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


	34. tales from the Tombs: Part 2

**Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh!-Kazuki Takahashi/Konami**

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><p>After waking up in this strange world, Calypso decided to do some sightseeing. However the only place this floating piece of rock was this stone temple that seemed to stand out. After getting acquainted with the welcoming committee guarding the entrance she helped herself inside. She was expecting something interesting to find, and probably steal, but there was nothing but corridors and empty rooms.<p>

"You know, when I first came in here I thought there was gonna be some kind of treasure inside," Calypso muttered to herself, "But all there is to find is a bunch rocks stacked together. Does it hurt them to have any kind of sport in this dull floating island?" suddenly she heard a low rumble that led her into a nearby room where, looking through a window, she found the other side to be a giant valley back outside. What really caught her attention is the three stone pillars holding three duelists, and their monsters out, "Look at that. I guess they have some decent tastes in entertainment after all."

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><p>What was supposed to me an archaeological dig now became a fight for survival. The two slifers Jaden and Jason had to face the Gravekeepers and win to get a full pardon. But the odds don't seem to be in their favor and the pleading from their friends was proof of that.<p>

"Fret not," the Gravekeeper's Chief smirked, "you won't hear your friends' screams when they're muffled by the buddies earth."

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><p>"Don't worry guys, I know you can win this!" Syrus called.<p>

"And I know I want outta here!" Chumley whined.

"No, _I_ want outta here!" Noire yelled, starting to panic, "I want outta here NOW!"

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><p>"Now, onto my Recruiter, as it was sent to the graveyard this turn, I can add one Gravekeeper with 1500-or-less DEF points from my deck, adding it to my hand," the chief added a card from his deck to his hand, "That will end my turn."<p>

"Alright, now let's finish this," Jaden drew his next card, where a familiar coo lead him to his Winged Kuriboh, "I should've known. You always around to get my back," Kuriboh bounced in reply, "Or in _this_ case, to guard my front! Winged Kuriboh, I'm summoning you in DEF mode!" the spirit moved over to the monsters' front lines when Jaden placed the card on his disk (DEF: 200). Jaden then looked down at the boxes hovering below, "Hang on, guy! I'll get you outta there!"

"How fitting. The blind lead the blind and the weak protect the weak," the chief scoffed, "Hiding behind that Kuriboh may be your idea of defense, but in my world, rodents like that are for pounding, not protection."

"He's no rodent. He's one of my very best friends!" Jaden snapped back in defense, then looking down at his set card, 'And you're about to see why…'

"Well, with friends like you, he needs no enemies. After all, you've just thrown him to the wolves."

Not too far away, someone was just stirring back into consciousness, "Ugh, someone catch the license plate on that…" Rock began surveying his surroundings and the first thing he noticed was that he was in a duel, "I don't remember using monsters like that… Wait a minute…" he took a closer look at those monsters and identified them, then the duelists controlling them, 'I guess a lot happened while I was out. I better get outta the line of fire…' Rock began backing away until he seemed to reach the edge. He looked down to see that there's nothing to back away on. He was standing on a large stone pillar with nowhere to go but down, with the Gravekeeper's Chief his only company, 'Then again, nothing beats a front-row seat…'

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Rose Bud! By releasing Elemental Hero Knospe from my field, I can summon Elemental Hero Poison Rose from my deck!" Knospe was enveloped in a giant flower Bud before it opened revealing Poison Rose (ATK: 1900), "Poison Rose, attack Gravekeeper's Descendant!" Poison Rose hovered towards the Descendant.

"You must have forgotten that your trap had already expired," the chief said, "So my Descendant's power has returned to 2000!"

"I activate the quick-play magic card, Rush Recklessly!" Jason entered the card inside, "It increases Poison Rose's ATK points by 700 until the end of the turn (ATK: 2600)! Poison Rose, continue the attack!" Poison Rose brought out a vine of thorns and mage a powerful last that destroyed Gravekeeper's Descendant.

**Chief: 2200**

**Jaden: 2000**

**Jason: 4000**

"And when Poison Rose inflicts battle-damage, 200 DEF points are transferred to her ATK points! Then I place one card face-down and end my turn," Jason concluded with a reverse-card.

Elemental Hero Poison Rose: (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1800)

"You've proven your Poison Rose to be a nuisance," the chief drew his next card, "So I will deal with her first. But first I summon my (1) Gravekeeper's Cannonholder(4/ATK: 1400/DEF: 1200)," another Gravekeeper appeared wearing a black robe and headdress heaving a bronze cannon over his shoulder (ATK: 1900), "Now go, Gravekeeper's Assailant! Stealth Slice Strike!"

"Think again!" Jaden exclaimed, opening his reverse-card, "I got a spell out, Transcendent Wings! Now, by giving up 2 cards…" he discarded two cards from his hand, "Winged Kuriboh evolves! Way up to LV10!" Kuriboh gave a hoot as his wings began to grow under a ball of blue light.

"As foolhardy as it was predictable!" the chief smirked, "Brainless cur, I knew you would play that!"

"Huh?!"

"Which is why I have this ready! Feast your eyes: the power of the (2) Gravekeeper's Watcher(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000)!" the card in the chief's hand flashed and from it came another Gravekeeper with black robes and a turban.

Jaden had to watch as the Watcher glowed red as he held his Winged Kuriboh by its glowing wings, "What the… Hey, what's happening?!"

"Fool! The same thing that's been happening this whole duel. You're losing! You see, by sending Watcher to the graveyard, I can negate your level-up!" seconds after the chief discarded the monster, both Watcher went away in a flash of purple light and left Winged Kuriboh with its small wings, "And since I have, I'll now wage an attack, forcing Poison Rose to DEF position due to Gravekeeper's Assailant's special-ability!" the Assailant flew towards Poison Rose who was down on her knee (DEF: 1900). In a single Strike she struck Poison Rose down, "And with her gone, it's now your Winged Kuriboh's turn. Cannonholder, attack!" the cannon holder took aim and destroyed Winged Kuriboh with a blast from his cannon.

"Sorry, Winged Kuriboh…" Jaden groaned, "You took one for the team. Thanks, pal."

Rock was watching the odds tilt from his fellow slifers from his shared spot on the Gravekeeper's Chief's pillar, "If this keeps up, we might have to pony up for a new underground condo!" he looked around for a bit until he found a large rock near the edge, "Alright, not that I'm used to foul play but…" he picked up the rock and crept up towards the chief…

"Are you sure you want to try that?" the chief asked Rock, without having to look over his shoulder. To make a more valid point, Gravekeeper's Assailant managed to slip behind Rock with her dagger pointed at the slifer's neck.

He didn't need any more convincing than that, so he dropped the rock, "…Try what?"

"Let's see. I've countered your move, I've destroyed your rodent, there's not much left to do but place two cards face-down," the chief concluded with two reverse-cards.

"Hey! Enough! Winged Kuriboh's _no_ 'rodent'!" Jaden snapped, the Chief replied by chuckling.

The Chief chuckled, "Would you prefer 'vermin'? Or perhaps 'rat'?"

"That's it! My draw!" Jaden drew his next card, "First, I'm activating Pot of Greed!" he drew two more cards, "And with this spell, I can draw 2 more cards. And now, I'll play one: Dark Catapulter!" the mechanical catapult beast appeared (DEF: 1500), "But I'm not done yet! I play Mirage of Nightmare!" he activated the continuous-spell card, "And I'm gonna throw down 3 face-down!" he concluded with three reverse-cards, 'Okay, that should do it. And that should set me up to perfectly win this match!' "I end my turn!"

"It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "I activate the magic card Polymerization! By fusing Elemental Hero Woodsman with Elemental Hero Ice Edge to summon Elemental Hero Absolute Zero from my fusion-deck!" the two monsters merged to form the ice-armored hero (ATK: 2500), "Absolute Zero, attack Gravekeeper's Assailant!" Absolute Zero charged forth with a sword made of ice.

"I play my trap card, Call of the Earthbound!" the Chief opened one of his two reverse-cards, "And I will combine it with the power of Ultimate Offering! By paying 500 of my life-points, I can summon a monster from my hand during my opponent's battle-phase. So I will set one monster on the field…" the set monster appeared, "And use Call of the Earthbound's effect to direct your attack at that monster," Absolute Zero diverted his path to the set monster. His new target Rose and revealed itself as a young adolescent girl in black robes holding a stone tablet in her arm, with a head of short…blue hair?

Jason blinked, "Wait, isn't that…"

"Stop your attack!" Jason pleaded to his monster. The monster he was about to destroy was the girl he met when he first arrived in this world!

"It's too late," the chief replied calmly. Absolute Zero brought his sword down and struck the girl. A painful scream came from her before she became only shattered pixels, "My (3) Gravekeeper's Nobleman(3/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) has served her purpose, as when she goes to the graveyard after battle, I can take one monster from my deck and set it face-down on the field," another set monster took the Nobleman's place.

Jason felt his knees grow weak. Whether or not that was part of the Gravekeeper's Chief's deck, it still felt wrong to him.

"Looks like Jason took that attack harder than he should," Calypso muttered as she took notice, "I wonder what this story is? …I can't wait to hear all about it."

"Hey Jason, you still with me?" the slifer's eyes shot up at the sound of Jaden's voice, "Don't let it get to ya; we're still in this duel and we can still win." Jason nodded, but felt otherwise.

"I activate the magic card Rain of Mercy! This adds 1000 points to our life-points," a small drizzle began to fall over the valley.

**Chief: 3200**

**Jaden: 3000**

**Jason: 5000**

"After that I end my turn," Jason concluded.

"And begin mine," the chief drew his next card.

"And _my_ chance to activate that Mirage card!" Jaden interrupted, "During your standby-phase, it lets me keep drawing until I have 4 cards in my hand," he drew until he held four cards and smiled, "Sweet!"

"'Sweet'? Does that wretched 'slang' mean you've drawn some good cards? Well don't be so sure. You don't know what is good because you don't know what you're up against."

'I don't like the sound of this…' Jaden grimaced.

"I activate the spell card Card of Demise, allowing me to draw until my hand holds five cards," he drew a full set of five cards, "Next I summon another Gravekeeper's Spy from its face-down position," another Spy appeared (ATK: 1700/DEF: 2500), "And his effect let's me summon a monster with 1500-or-less ATK points from my deck to the field. So I summon another Gravekeeper's Curse," the man with the striped staff appeared next to the Spy (ATK: 1300), "And when this card is summoned 500 points of damage to you, Jaden!" Curse's staff grew and Jaden was harmed by a storm of gold energy.

**Chief: 3800**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 5000**

"Next I will sacrifice Gravekeeper's Curse…to summon _myself_!"

"Summon _yourself_?!" Jaden exclaimed, as the Chief's card flashed before vanishing from his spot on the pillar and reappear on a card on his side of the field.

"Due to Necrovalley's effect, I gain 500 ATK points (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1700). And as long as I'm on the field, my graveyard's not affected by Necrovalley! Meaning I can use spells, traps and monster-effects on any monster laid to rest there. But that's not all: I also get to summon one Gravekeeper from my graveyard!"

Jaden gulped, "No way!"

"Rise, Gravekeeper's Descendant!" the blonde-haired Gravekeeper returned (ATK: 2000), "Next, I sacrifice my Gravekeeper's Spy in order to summon a new monster from my hand at the cost of 500 of my life-points."

**Chief: 3300**

**Jaden: 2500**

**Jason: 5000**

"Behold my (4) Gravekeeper's Visionary(8/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1800)!" the Spy was then replaced by a new monster rising to the field. This new Gravekeeper seemed to be more regal than the previous ones with his kingly attire consisting of gold-rimmed black-and-white robes complete with a black jackal-shaped mask. It's emerald lenses seemed to glow as he slowly Rose from his decorated stone throne (ATK: 2500), "And he, too, gains an extra surge of power thanks to Necrovalley."

This monster does seem different from the others, but for Jaden, there's something ancient coming from it; and from the way the other three Gravekeepers knelt towards it, it seemed stronger than them as well… "Brace yourself, Jason. This one looks tougher than the others!"

"Alright!" Jason nodded, heeding Jaden's warning.

"What is this…?" the low rumble came from the Gravekeeper's Visionary, who slowly turned his head towards the chief, "Explain to me why I am called out to battle."

"My apologies, your majesty," the chief replied, keeping his head low, "I have apprehended a couple of trespassers and are now judging them."

The Visionary turned his gaze back over to the two children wearing red. They backed away a step, standing on defense as his jade eyes seemed to burn, "Children?" he growled, then turning back to the chief, "I have been summoned because you could not deal with a couple of children by yourself…?"

"These youths are stronger than they have been given credit for," the chief said, "I simply decided that with the circumstances—"

"How dare you speak above your station!" the Visionary roared, "What makes you think that you are in control of my power?! Bah!"

Rock could see the chief flinch from the Visionary's outburst, 'Wow. I guess we know now who wears the pants in _this_ family.'

"Very well…" the Visionary glared back to the two slifers, "You have better not waste my time. Now continue!"

"Yes sir," the chief nodded, then rising back to his feet, "I activate the special-ability of Gravekeeper's Descendant: by sacrificing my Gravekeeper's Curse in order to destroy Absolute Zero!" Gravekeeper's Curse vanished and Descendant fired a blast of red energy from his staff, destroying Absolute Zero.

"Elemental Hero Absolute Zero's effect activates!" Jason announced, "Now all monsters on the opponent's side of the field are destroyed!" a huge snowstorm began howling through the valley.

"I activate the quick-play spell card, Monster Recovery!" the chief smashed the spell into his duel-disk, "This spell card allows me to return a monster from my field to the hand! And I will use this card to remove myself from the field!" the Gravekeeper's Chief vanished from the field to reappeared back on his spot on the stone pillar, only to literally fall into Rock's arms.

"You know, you're pretty light for a guy. Wait, I take that back…" Rock soon found himself being crushed under the chief's weight and crashed to the floor underneath.

"Get off of me!" the chief barked, kicking himself away from Rock and scampering back to his feet, "Let's get back to the duel! After Monster Recovery's first effect, I add the cards in my hand to my deck and shuffle it!" he shuffled his hand into his deck, "Then I draw the same number of cards!" he then drew three new cards, "Next comes the special-ability of Gravekeeper's Visionary: by sending one Gravekeeper monster from my hand to my graveyard, I can prevent him from being destroyed by battle or card-effects! So I will discard Gravekeeper's Spearsoldier!" a spear-wielding Gravekeeper appeared in front of the Visionary, taking his place as he became a block of ice along with Descendant and Assailant. All three shattered, leaving the Visionary the only monster on the chief's field at the end of the snowstorm.

"Next comes yet another Card of Demise spell to replenish my hand," the chief then drew to a hand of five, "Next I activate the spell card, Gravekeeper's Stele," the chief placed the card into his duel-disk, "This card allows me to add two of my Gravekeepers to my hand from the graveyard. And now, this card isn't affected by Necrovalley," he smirked as he added his two cards.

"So as long as he's got monsters in his hand…" Jason muttered.

"That Visionary's gonna keep on comin'!" Jaden gritted his teeth.

"He will not be the only one," the chief said, "I shall play the trap known as Rite of Spirit. This lets me to summon yet another Gravekeeper from my graveyard, and I choose Gravekeeper's Curse!" the reverse-card opened and the staff-holding Gravekeeper appeared (ATK: 1300), "And now 500 of your life-points are taken from you as damage!"

Jaden groaned in pain as a fiery red aura came back to him.

**Chief: 3300**

**Jaden: 2000**

**Jason: 5000**

"And now, by paying 500 of my life-points due to the power of Ultimate Offering, I shall once again sacrifice Gravekeeper's Curse to summon myself back to the field!" the tributes monster vanished and was once again replaced by the chief himself (ATK: 2400), "And by my own effect, I shall now return Gravekeeper's Curse from the graveyard and activate his effect once again," Gravekeeper's Curse returned (ATK: 1300) and sent another burning aura to hover over Jaden.

**Chief: 2800**

**Jaden: 1500**

**Jason: 5000**

"Next, I pay another 500 life-points to summon Gravekeeper's Assailant back to the field," the robed assailant returned (ATK: 2000).

**Chief: 2300**

**Jaden: 1500**

**Jason: 5000**

"And by paying 500 more, I summon the (5) Gravekeeper's Priestess(4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500) to my field!" a young woman in long black dreadlocks appeared, wearing a white dress and a long, flowing headdress covering her eyes (ATK: 1500), "And with her special-ability, all Gravekeeper monsters gain an additional 200 ATK and DEF points. And with the power he gain from each Gravekeeper resting in the grave x200, Gravekeeper's Visionary becomes even more stronger!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant: (ATK: 2200/DEF: 2200)

Gravekeeper's Chief: (ATK: 2600/DEF: 1900)

Gravekeeper's Visionary: (ATK: 4700/DEF: 2500)

Gravekeeper's Priestess: (ATK: 1700/DEF: 2200)

"Gravekeeper's Assailant, attack with Stealth Slice Strike!" the assailant charged forth towards Jaden's field, hid Dark Catapulted suddenly Rose to its feet (ATK: 1000), "Remember, my Assailant has the effect to change that Catapulter's mode from DEF to ATK! Now strike it down!" the assailant struck her blade through the monster and destroyed it.

**Chief: 2300**

**Jaden: 300**

**Jason: 5000**

"And now my Gravekeeper's Priestess will attack! Ancient Spear Strike!" the priestess brought forth a long javelin and charged forth to strike Jaden, "Face it! You've lost the duel!"

"I don't think so! Go, Emergency Provisions!" Jaden opened his reverse-card and another vanished another with his continuous-spell, "Now by sending 2 spell/trap cards from my field to the graveyard, I regain 2000 life-points!"

**Chief: 2300**

**Jaden: 2300**

**Jason: 5000**

"Curse you! But the Priestess' attack still goes through!" the priestess managed to jab Jaden in the stomach with her spear.

**Chief: 2300**

**Jaden: 600**

**Jason: 5000**

"And do not forget, I too still have an attack!" the chief held out his palm where a glowing red ball of energy rested, "And now I will use it!" he then hurled the ball at Jaden.

"Oh no you won't! Go, trap card, Draining Shield!" Jaden opened his last reverse-card, where a barrier formed over him and absorbed the attack.

"You can't!"

"Oh, I can! And I did! Your attack's cancelled out! And there's more too! Now I gain life-points equal to your monster's ATK points! Pretty sweet, huh?"

**Chief: 2300**

**Jaden: 3200**

**Jason: 5000**

"Fool! So you blocked aanothe attack, but that has cost you all cards on your field. And my Gravekeeper's Visionary still has his! And once he attacks—"

"Your Gravekeeper's Visionary?! Did I just hear you correctly?"

The chief flinched from the Visionary's outburst, "A slip of the tongue. My apologies…"

"I take orders from no one! I will decide how I wage battle!" the Visionary turned his eyes towards Jason, "I will deal with this one before he become somewhat or a threat, even though it is quite small," he lifted his arm and raised his gold, cobrahead staff. The staff itself glowed and extended to new lengths and struck.

"Jason!" Jaden cried as Jason was being carried off his feet by the coils of the constricting golden snake. The serpent began crushing him, squeezing a cry out of its captive, "He's had enough! Let 'im go!"

"I will decide if he has enough," the Visionary said as his staff continued crushing Jason. Eventually, he felt himself falling as he was suddenly slammed back on his spot on the pillar, knocking the last bit of wind out of him. He was left a heap on a slab of rock as the Visionary retrieved his staff, "Behold the power of the Shadow Game!"

"Shadow Game?!" Jason managed to gasp out, but still unable to get up, "So that's what that is…"

"Yes. And the game's almost over. For you, your life-points, and for your friends!"

**Chief: 2300**

**Jaden: 3200**

**Jason: 300**

There was no way to make light of the situation. He's sharing an empty field with Jaden and has no cards in his hand. He's used up his only Polymerization and could think of nothing strong enough against any of the three Gravekeepers opposing them. With one attack away from destruction, it seems like a hopeless situation from him!

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><p>The lids of their captives' coffins began closing to a hairline.<p>

"Jason can't lose!" Syrus cried, "I haven't even finished my bucket list yet!"

"I haven't even started _my_ bucket list!" Chumley whimpered.

"I didn't think I even _need_ a bucket list this early in life!" Banner whimpered.

"I don't wanna!" Noire blubbered, trying to bust out of her restraints and out of the coffin, "I don't wanna! I don't wanna! I don't wanna!"

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><p>"Don't listen to that windbag, Jason!" Jason's head shot up towards the sound of Jaden's voice, "This duel isn't over yet. Just remember what we're fighting for!" Their friends! He almost forgot what's at stake here! "Our friends are counting on us; both of us! You don't want to let anyone down do you? Especially when 'down' means 'six-feet-under in an old sarcophagus'!" that's right. They're then only ones who could stop this! If Jaden could tough it out the Jason should too. So he used whatever strength he could gather to get himself back on his feet, "That's the spirit! Just tough it out! We're gonna bring their friends home!"<p>

"Yes! Their _eternal_ home!" the chief interrupted, "So allow me to help you! Go, Royal Tribute!" he played the card into his duel-disk, "It's a spell, that I can activate so long as I have Necrovalley on my field. Now we discard all of monsters in our hand, to the graveyard."

Jaden gritted his teeth as all monsters in his hand had disappeared, "Not good!"

"No, it's not. Well, it's not for you, at least. For now, whatever monsters you were planning to win with…"

"Are _gone_…" Jaden grimaced, 'And the only card I have left is The Warrior Returning Alive, which I can't even use cause of Necrovalley. With no monsters, I'm gonna save my friends, I gotta draw something big right now.' "Alright, here goes something." He drew his next card and looked at it, 'Sweet! One of my most powerful creatures!'

"Drawn a good monster, have you?" the Chief taunted, "Shame you have nothing to sacrifice so you can summon it."

'He's right. If I'm gonna bring him out, I'd need to trade two monsters for him. And I don't have any… Wait a second…' "But then again, on second thought, maybe, just maybe I don't need any. Yeah, for sure! Necrovalley field-spell card is all I need!"

"Please, Necrovalley simply negates any effect aimed at monsters in the graveyard."

"Exactly, but not the effects coming out of the graveyard!"

"What?!"

"Don't 'what' me. You know exactly what I mean," Jaden smirked, "Remember when you played Gravekeeper's Recruiter, even with Necrovalley out? My monster that are in the graveyard, if they have an effect I can use, I can use 'em."

"No!"

"_Ye~es!_" Jaden sang out, "And I'm sure I can find one that'll come in handy right now! After all it's been a long duel. And I got a whole bunch of monsters down in the graveyard that I can choose from."

'I think I get it now…,' Jason thought back to when the chief hand to explain Necrovalley's power, 'Necrovalley's like a tomb protecting their dead and their treasures. And we became the gravediggers that came to steal that treasure. But if there's anyone on the inside who can help that doesn't involve robbing the tomb it's a different story.'

"Yeah, you see, what helped you out so much back then, will hurt you now. Because one of the monsters I discarded was a certain monster known as (6) Elemental Hero Necroshade(5/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800)!" a masked man with a red hide and exoskeleton armor appeared as a phantom, "And he allows me to summon an Elemental Hero without any sacrifices one time. And one time is all I need. Because the monster I'm gonna bring out is the Elemental Hero Bladedge," the massive gold-armored hero appeared in place of Necroshade (ATK: 2600), "Now Bladedge, attack Gravekeeper's Priestess with Slice-'n-Dice Attack!" Bladedge made a charge towards the weakest monster and destroyed it with his arm-mounted blade.

**Chief: 1400**

**Jaden: 3200**

**Jason: 300**

"And without your Priestess out, the rest of your Gravekeepers are down 200 points!"

Gravekeeper's Assailant: (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000)

Gravekeeper's Chief: (ATK: 2400/DEF: 1700)

Gravekeeper's Visionary: (ATK: 5100/DEF: 2300)

"Alright, I'm done here…" Jaden concluded, "Jason, it's all on you."

"It's my turn," Jason drew his next card and looked at it, 'I can't do any thin against those monsters but…' "I place one card face-down and end my turn," a reverse-card appeared, 'I just hope nothing happens to us before I can use it…'

"Now it's my turn," the chief drew his next card, "It is time to finally end this. I activate the spell Mystical Space Typhoon!" the spell card formed a powerful cyclone that soared straight towards Jason field and swallowed his reverse-card. No one had time to see what it was before it went away.

"And there goes the last hope you were clinging to. Now nothing will stand in the way of my victory!" the lenses of Gravekeeper's Visionary burned turned his gaze towards the Gravekeeper's Assailant, "Now finish him!" without question the assailant soared over to enemy lines with her blade poised to strike. Time seemed to have slowed down as she looked over Jason with her fierce gaze.

The valley suddenly started rumbling as a loud roar-like sound ripped through it. It was damaging to everyone who couldn't cover their ears and preoccupied others by covering them. By the time it stopped the Gravekeeper's Assailant pulled herself back.

"What kind of trickery is this?!" the chief growled, getting his answer from a card that suddenly appeared on Jason's field, "A trap card?! But I already destroyed the only card you had on your field! Where did it come from?"

"I activated Threatening Roar before you could destroy it," Jason answered, "And once it activates, the battle-phase is skipped for this turn."

"You should've attacked faster," snarled the Visionary to the Assailant, who bowed in shame when she returned to her position.

"Hey, it's not her fault!" Jaden frowned at the Visionary, "If you wanna blame someone ten blame the big chief."

"You shut your mouth, little cur!" the chief barked back, "Just draw your card!"

"Fine by me," Jaden drew his next card, 'With that Visionary out on the field, there's only one monster I know that can stand up to that guy. Bad news is, I don't have anything like that. Luckily I know someone who does…' "I'm throwing down a face-down and call it a turn!" a reverse-card appeared, and Jaden looked over to Jason, "This is a gift, Jason! From me to you!" he smiled and gave a thumbs-up, "Now use it the way you do best!"

A gift? Did Jaden mean his face-down card? He seemed so confident that Jason would know what to do with it. If this doesn't turn out as expected then Jason could ruin the chance of any of them escaping. Yet Jaden has put so much faith in him…

'Jaden's counting on me?' he looked down into the pit, where the others were staring back up in their coffins, '…No, everyone's counting on me!' he then switched his gaze to his deck strapped to his arm, 'If I could draw the right card, then I can use it with the one Jaden gave me. Maybe that's what he meant!' he then realized if he doesn't get the right card… 'No, I can't think that! It's all or nothing now!' "It's my turn!" Jason drew his next card, "Then I activate the card Jaden placed face-down!" the set card opened up and revealed itself to be Polymerization, "And now I fuse Elemental Hero Flash from my hand with Elemental Hero Bladedge from the field to create the Elemental Hero Gaia!" the two aforementioned monsters merged together to form the heavily-armored earth hero (ATK: 2200), "When Elemental Hero Gaia is summoned, the ATK points of one of your monsters are cut in half!"

"Which leaves me with 2550 ATK points, correct?" the Visionary said, "That still won't be enough to topple me!"

"And the ATK points that monster loses gets added to Gaia's ATK points!"

"What did you say?!"

Gravekeeper's Visionary: (ATK: 2550)

Elemental Hero Gaia: (ATK: 4750)

The Visionary looked over his shoulder towards the Gravekeeper's Chief, "Get my special-ability ready," he growled.

"I…I can't, sir!" the Chief said, looking down with a light bow.

For the first time since he arrived, the Visionary can be seen flinching. He spun around to the duelist behind him, "I said do it!"

"That ain't gonna happen! " Jaden called out, getting the Visionary's attention, "Remember that Royal Tribute he played a while back? It got rid of the monsters in his hands as well. And he wasn't able to draw one since. So you got nothing to protect yourself this time!"

The Visionary spun back around, glaring in fury at the two children and the monster between them, "Impossible!"

With nothing else stopping him, Jason proceeded to attack, "Elemental Hero Gaia, attack Gravekeeper's Visionary!"

"With Continental Hammer!" added Jaden. With both slifer's command the Elemental Hero made a bee-line towards the Visionary and slammed his armored fist into him. The Visionary let out a pained groan as the gauntlet dug into his gut before being destroyed in an explosion. The Gravekeeper's Chief felt the same destructive for as he doubled over on his knees.

**Chief: 0**

**Jaden: 3200**

**Jason: 300**

Finally the duel was over. As everyone returned to the pyramid's pit, Jason dropped onto his backside with an exasperated sigh. The hard part was over. As for Jaden, he gave his opponent his famous salute, "That's game!"

"Chief!" the Gravekeeper's Assailant cried out as she and the other went to his aid.

"Hey, is he okay?" Jaden called, running across the walkway to the other side. But his path was blocked by a pair of spearmen before he could get any closer to the Chief.

"No! He lives,live!" the Chief said, putting the spearmen at ease to lower their weapons, "He was an impressive opponent."

"Thanks, some of your moves were pretty tight too there. It was a sweet match. Let's duel again sometime."

"What? You mean to say you enjoyed the Shadow Game?" the Chief asked, confused.

"Totally! Of course I could've done with the whole 'friends in the coffin' thing, but it was fun. And you guys…" he looked to the Guard and Spear Soldier, "Very scary, very tough," and then to the Assailant, who still held a pained expression after losing, "And you too! You all fought great."

"Only one other person has ever passed this challenge. That is, until now. For having overcome your trials, I bequeath to you this mystic medallion," he reached into his person and pulled out a sort of necklace, "It is yours."

"Really? For me?" Jaden climbed up to the Chief's pedestal and took the medallion and looked more closely at it from its string, "Hmm… Aw, some gift. There's only half!"

"But of course! You see, the only other to have passed the challenge holds the other half. Hopefully, when the time comes for you to battle in another Shadow Game, this medallion will serve you well."

"Sweetness," Jaden put the medal around his neck, "I'll be sure to remember that."

"So, uh…" Rock slipped in next to the Chief, "No that there's no challenge, there's no need for coffins, right?"

With a wave of his arm, the Chief managed to open the coffins down below.

"We're free!" Syrus cheered.

"Whoa, someone turn down the lights! Man!" Chumley groaned.

"No, I love light. Light is my friend!" Banner sighed for the fresh air.

"Wow. They actually saved us…" Alexis said in awe, the bandages already dissolving.

"That's nice…" Noire sighed in relief, "NOW GET ME OUTTA THIS BOX!"

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><p>After they were all safe and sound, everyone (including the Gravekeeper's and Assailant) returned to the entrance of the tomb.<p>

"Way to play, Jay!" Cyrus cheered.

"I knew you two would pass this test. I just knew it."

Jaden laughed until what Banner said caught his attention, "Wait, what do you mean 'test'? Don't you mean 'challenge'?" Jaden asked, causing the teacher to flinch from his slipped tongue.

"Uh…" Banner began to panic as all attention was turned to him, "I mean, yes of course! I mean, 'test', 'challenge', it is all the same, am I right? All that matters is you've won. Isn't that right, guys?" he tried to lead everyone to laugh with him, but it seemed he was only trying to embarrass himself.

"Right…"

So he eventually gave up.

"Hey, look at that…" Syrus pointed over to Jason's arm, where his duel-disk was still equipped. Jason pulled it up and looked at it, finding a large webbing of hairline cracks all over.

"My duel-disk…" Jason muttered, "It's…"

"Just junk now," Rock said, eying the duel-disk, "I didn't think it's even possible."

"Well, it is an older model," Alexis said, "So it's natural to have a little wear and tear over the years. But still, for it to break like it did; but how exactly did it happen?"

"Wait a sec," Jaden said, turning to Jason, "Remember when you were grabbed by that Visionary? Maybe that's it!"

Jason did feel something give on him during that time, so Jaden must be right. But it's certain he won't be able to use this duel-disk anymore…

Before anyone knew what happened next, Jason's head suddenly rang like a giant bell. He stumbled face-first into the ground cradling his beating head as Gravekeeper's Nobleman stood over him with her tablet in both hands.

"Whoa! What was that for?!" Jaden exclaimed, his complaint mixed with the other students'.

"What?" Nobleman shrugged stoically, "He attacked me with a walking ice sculpture and you expect me to let it go?"

The Gravekeeper's Chief turned his attention back to Jaden, "Well then, it's time for you and your friends to return to your own world."

"Sounds good to me!" Jaden agreed, "…so how do we get back?"

"Go to the gate of the tomb," the chief instructed, looking towards the sky, "Just as the three lights combine into one, so that the veil of radiance appears before you."

"And in english that's…?" Rock stated.

"The only way back is the way you came," Nobleman said, "But only when our three Suns overlap. So if you're too slow, then, basically you'll be stuck here until the next one."

'That's some useful piece of information,' Calypso thought as she snuck off from behind the entrance wall, 'Well as they say, early bird gets the worm.'

But before anyone could leave a stampede of shuffling feet led them to face an army of Spear Soldiers and Guards blocking their exit, "Fools! What are you you're doing?!" the Chief demanded.

"They're doing their job," the voice came from the Gravekeeper's Visionary, who stood over the spearmen behind their ranks, especially while he stood at least an extra foot, "They are trespassers. So they must be punished; either by you, or by them."

"Punished! Punished! Punished!" the grunts chanted.

The Chief rushed to stand between the academy students and the soldiers, "No! They have paid for their misdeeds! They have passed the challenge! Their freedom have been earned!" but still the soldiers marched another step forward.

"This is not the first time someone 'passed your challenge'," the Visionary retorted, "You are in charge with defending this temple in my absence. Your failure to do so not once, but twice, has proven that you do not take your position seriously. So allow me to do it for you!" he swung his arm forward and the troopers charged forth with their spearheads forward. But instead there was a clash of metal-on-metal as the Gravekeeper's Assailant managed to deflect the spearmen. When she landed back on her feet her robes over her face unfurled and fell apart.

"It's you…!" Jaden gasped out. The woman under the hood was the woman he met when he first arrived.

"Yes, I'm the Gravekeeper's Assailant," she answered as she rose, "I'm sorry to have fought you, but I had to obey my Chief.

"Hey, it's cool."

"Uh, Jay…" Syrus said, "Don't you think it's rude not to introduce me, I mean us, to your friend?"

Jaden recoiled, "Find your own friends."

"When you finally return to your world, please give a message to the owner of the other half… Tell him Yasmin is still in the other world and I haven't forgotten him; and I believe that one day we will meet again."

"Huh. Boyfriend…" Jaden sighed.

"I knew it…" Syrus groaned.

"Get back!" the Assailant snapped back at the troops, "They have won their freedom and we must honor our sacred law! We are the _keepers_ of the grave, not the makers!"

"You think you know better little girl?" the Visionary growled, "Soldiers! Eliminate the trespassers; as well as anyone else who decide to stand in your way!" the troopers took their spears and pointed towards the trespassers. The Assailant stood her ground with her dagger in hand.

Something large suddenly appeared from out of nowhere catching everyone off-guard. Towering over the Gravekeeper troopers was Machina Force, all of its shoulder-mounted projectiles trained on the lot of them.

"Bah! Do you think that will scare me?" the Visionary scoffed in his booming tone, "I have an army against your one machine, no matter how large it is!" another rumble occurred as Machina Fortress came rolling from around the temple, aiming the soldiers right down its barrel, "Um… Even two giants cannot last against my loyal—" but he was cut off by a much larger quake. This time the soldiers had to arch their necks to stare up at the towering form of the unionized Perfect Machine King. And standing on its shoulder was sounded like a very angry Noire.

"You wanna put that to the test?!" her commanding voice echoed from her giant.

But even with prepped bottle-rockets and bladed lasers aimed at the Visionary, that didn't stop him from saying this: "The trespassers are pardoned!" and with a wave of its arms, the soldiers parted a path for the outsiders.

With the way back paved, Noire returned her monsters and the Ra Yellow came scrambling back to the others, put back on her glasses and hid over Alexis' shoulder, far away from the scary Gravekeepers, "P-please don't make me have to do that again…!" she whimpered.

"I would hurry," the Assailant named Yasmin advised.

"For sure," Jaden said, "…but how do we get back again?"

Yasmin gave him a smile as she replied, "Oh, I think your friend will show you the way."

A light came from Jaden's pocket and out of it came back Winged Kuriboh, hooting to him as he flew off, "He wants us to follow!" Jaden hurried after Winged Kuriboh with the others following, "Thanks, Yasmin!"

"Hold it!" Gravekeeper's Nobleman caught Jason by the collar before he could even go anywhere. When she got his attention she pulled something from her robe and thrust it into Jason's sight, shying away from him in the process, "Take it. It's yours."

Jason took the artifact and stared at it, "Thank you…but what does it do?"

"Don't you have somewhere to go back to right about now?!" the Nobleman blurted out, "Or do you wanna wait the next few centuries for the way back!"

"Oh! I do!" Jason gasped and sprinted off to catch up with the others.

"Hurry!" Yasmin called out, 'Until we next meet…'

* * *

><p>"The lights! They're combining!" Syrus warned as they kept running, "We gotta Hurry! C'mon, you guys!"<p>

There were almost at the gate post when suddenly one of them tumbled over.

"Chumley!" Jaden and the others rushed back to Chumley, who was holding his knee on the ground.

"Tricycle injury!" Chumley grunted, then looked up to the sky as the suns were closer together, "Just go on without me! You don't have time to wait for me, seriously! Go! You can still make it!"

"What?! No!" Rock exclaimed, running up to Chumley with the others, "Ever seen a war movie?! Never leave a man behind!"

"You must—" a low growl cut off Chumley before his bookbag flashed from inside, and bursting from it came a large marsupial munching on his leaves.

In no time at all everyone was making their way to the post including Chumley, who was riding on the back of his own Des Koala, "I love running!"

The group managed to make it to the post as three Suns finally united. At that moment they were caught by a surge of emerald light breaking out from under the earth. And also like the first time, everything turned dark…

* * *

><p>Once again Jason woke up in a new setting. Except this setting was a jungle of moss-covered rocks. It looks like he found his way back to the ruins where he went from. Not just him, he saw nearly everyone else slumped against their own piece of rock, unconscious as if they were asleep. He seemed to have remembered bits and pieces of what happened with the Gravekeepers like it was all a dream; and maybe it was. But when he felt something poking into his clutched hand, and when he laid eyes on it, he realized it wasn't a dream at all…<p>

Elsewhere, having been the first to escape, Calypso was hanging over one of the broken tower ruins looking over the rest of her schoolmates, "I gotta say, I didn't think I'd like field trips before this one. That Professor really knew how to stage one," her smile grew a bit after, "I wonder whose idea was it to begin with? I bet _he_ knows…"

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><p><strong>DUEL-MON DATABASE<strong>

**(1) Gravekeeper's Cannonholder**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1400 DEF/ 1200**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: ****You can ****Tribute**** 1 "****Gravekeeper's****" ****monster****, except "Gravekeeper's Cannonholder"; inflict 700 ****damage**** to your opponent.**

**(2) Gravekeeper's Watcher**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV3 ATK/1000 DEF/ 1000**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: ****During either player's ****turn****, when your opponent ****activates**** a ****Spell****/****Trap Card****or ****monster****effect**** that could make them ****discard**** when it ****resolves****: You can ****send**** this card from your ****hand**** to the ****Graveyard****; ****negate**** the activation, and if you do, ****destroy**** it.**

**(3) Gravekeeper's Nobleman**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV3 ATK/1000 DEF/ 1000**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: ****When this card you ****control**** is ****destroyed by battle**** with an opponent's ****attacking****monster**** and ****sent**** to your ****Graveyard****: You can ****Special Summon**** 1 "****Gravekeeper's****" monster from your ****Deck**** in ****face-down****Defense Position****, except "Gravekeeper's Nobleman".**

**(4) Gravekeeper's Visionary**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV8 ATK/2000 DEF/ 1800**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: ****You can ****Tribute Summon**** this card by ****Tributing**** 1 "****Gravekeeper's****" ****monster****. This card gains 200 ****ATK**** for each "Gravekeeper's" monster in your ****Graveyard****. If this ****face-up**** card on the ****field**** would be ****destroyed****, you can ****discard**** 1 "Gravekeeper's" monster instead.**

**(5) Gravekeeper's Priestess**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV4 ATK/1000 DEF/ 1500**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: ****While there is no ****face-up****Field Spell Card****, the field is treated as "****Necrovalley****". All "****Gravekeeper's****" ****monsters**** gain 200 ****ATK**** and ****DEF****.**

**(6) Elemental Hero Necroshade**

**Stats: [Spellcaster/Effect] LV5 ATK/1600 DEF/ 2900**

**Attribute: DARK**

**Effect: ****Once, while this card is in the ****Graveyard****, 1 ****Level**** 5 or higher "****Elemental HERO****" ****monster**** you ****Normal Summon**** can be ****Summoned**** without ****Tributing****.**

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review.<strong>


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